


The Latest Model

by Actually_Crowley



Series: The Latest Model [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Android Newton, Blow Jobs, Gun Violence, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mind Control, Porn With Plot, alcohol mention, semi-public sexual situations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-08-04 08:51:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 62,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16343699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actually_Crowley/pseuds/Actually_Crowley
Summary: "Designer Date™ and associates would like to thank you for your purchase of a week with one of our perfectly tailored androids.  Each android comes complete with many, pre-loaded activities for even the most adventurous of minds, and the capability to learn many others.  Also included within the docking bay are several outfits for all sorts of occasions and many, ahem, toys for your more private levels of enjoyment.Your satisfaction is guaranteed.  If you're not happy with your Designer Date™, we will happily refund your fee if contacted within twenty-four (24) hours of successful delivery.We thank you again for your patronage and wish you a pleasant, perfect week."





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Should I be working on several other things? Probably. Here's this, though.

Hermann shoved his knuckles into his mouth and stared down the large, nearly coffin shaped box standing in his living room. It had arrived by courier, and Hermann might have felt the need to be embarrassed if the man hadn’t been so sleazy looking. The box was planted by the wall, and the man left without so much as a word of goodbye. Hermann supposed he could appreciate the lack of communication when he didn’t want to have to explain why he’d ordered what he did.

Hermann had never been so humiliated by his own purchase. It wasn’t permanent, it was a rental, but somehow that didn’t make him feel any better. Hermann had, at the advice of a friend, ordered a personal service android. Or, if Tendo Choi were labeling it, Hermann rented a sex bot.

‘ _Seriously, man. Take a week vacation. Get yourself one of those sex bots and relax for once in your life. I swear, if you don’t get laid soon, you’re gonna have a heart attack._ ’

Hermann responded with yelling at him that that wasn’t even how the human body worked. He then went home, put in for a vacation, and decided to see how much the service bot would actually cost for a week.

Seven thousand dollars, two weeks, and one delivery later, Hermann was finally regretting it. He hadn’t even paid any mind to preferences when he ordered the damn thing, so he didn’t even know what awaited him within the box. He vaguely remember selecting a male, but he hadn’t done anything else. This android could be anything. Tall, short, muscular, lean, tattooed, scarred--god why didn’t he pay more attention!? He’d just wanted to get the purchase out of the way before he had time to talk himself out of it, and now he had no idea what to expect.

The box sat there, awaiting a thumb print. Hermann bit his lip and pulled his cellphone out of his pocket, dialing a number, and waited.

“ _Go for Choi._ ”

“I hate you.”

“ _Hermann?_ ” The sound on the phone changed, as if he was shifting ears. “ _Aren’t you on vacation, man?_ ”

Hermann sighed. “I… I ordered one.”

“ _One what?_ ” There was a pause. Then a clatter as Tendo dropped whatever he was holding, and his voice returned closer to the receiver. “ _Wait, you- you bought a sex bot, didn’t you!?_ ”

Hermann sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Will you keep your voice down!?” He closed his eyes and gripped the bridge of his nose as Tendo cackled at him. “Yes, all right? I ordered one. I have him for the week, and I-… I don’t know what to do.”

Tendo snorted. “ _You’re meant to have a good time, brother. Do anything you want._ ”

“That seems… selfish.”

“ _These are bots created for this purpose, you don’t have to worry about any of that. I know that sounds unsettling for someone like you; you’re the guy that talks to the servos at work._ ”

Hermann narrowed his eyes at the wall. “The servos are coded with an AI human approximation to do away with robotic error in manufacturing. They are however not built with the capabilities those AIs can fully articulate; I simply feel that I am doing them a service by speaking to them. They can hear us, you know.”

Tendo laughed again. “ _Yeah, yeah, I get it, the arms have feelings._ ”

“They may learn to.”

“ _Either way, these bots aren’t built with that. Okay? You don’t have to worry about it. Just gotta put your thumb on the reader, wake it up, lie back and think of England._ ”

Hermann groaned. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call him an ‘it’.”

Tendo sighed again. “ _Okay, I’m sorry. Wake him up. Have a good time. And hey, if you’re not sure what to do, and you’re so worried about his feelings, why don’t you ask him for some suggestions? He’s probably programmed with plenty._ ” There was a beeping somewhere beyond Tendo’s voice. “ _That’s my popcorn. Hey, I gotta jet, but let me know how it goes with him, all right? See ya, doc._ ” Tendo hung up before Hermann could utter another word.

Hermann pressed his lips together and sighed. “…I’m sending him back. I cannot do this…” He made his way to the computer and sat back down on the couch. This was a mistake. He shouldn’t have done this if he was so morally opposed to it, but god, the idea that he could easily get the sensations and feelings he wanted in a way that didn’t involve exploiting a human for it had been so tempting. But he neglected how badly he would feel for exploiting an AI. Whether Tendo believed it or not, AIs were getting wiser these days, and he’d run tests on some of their own company’s androids that showed them capable of forming opinions and deep thoughts of there own. No matter how mundane the initial program was, it could evolve into something so much bigger and smarter than anyone imagined.

And here Hermann was having ordered one for the sole purpose of having sex with him. Hermann groaned and leaned his head on the keyboard of the laptop. He was such a fool.

As he brought up the website again, he found his gaze being pulled back to the box. There was someone inside of it. He knew that. And he was just going to call the number to return him without letting him walk around? Somehow that was starting to feel like the bigger sin. He hovered over the video call contact information for a few seconds before he set the laptop down and closed it. Maybe he could still send him back after opening the pod. As long as it was within twenty four hours of arrival, he could get a ‘dissatisfaction refund’ regardless of the use-

God, all of this sounded so _horrible_. No wonder people called them ‘it’ so often; it was to avoid the guilt that inevitably came with referring to them as people.

Okay. He had to let him out. He couldn’t keep him in the box even if he _wasn’t_ aware it was happening. It just wasn’t the way Hermann worked. He would bring him out, say hello, maybe offer him a meal (they were designed to be able to convert food into fuel in a more literal sense), and then call the company to send him back. Maybe he would explain that he wasn’t in any way upset with him, and more at his own decision to purchase him. That was all.

Hermann had no breath when he realised he was standing before the box. He swallowed his nerves and hovered his thumb over the reader. A few hours. That’s all this would be. A few hours, and he would forget it ever happened. He pressed his thumb against the scanner before he could talk himself out of it.

The box beeped. With a rude gush of air, the surface split, very unlike a coffin (which made Hermann feel a bit better), and slid open with a whir of mechanisms. Hermann could only stare.

The website had auto chosen features for him. Tattoos. Short. Scruffy. Not fat per say, but not quite lean, with just enough at the waist to hold onto if he so chose. He had a cute face that Hermann just knew would glow if he were to smile--

And he was nude. They packaged him nude.

The man arched away from the back wall of the box and took a breath.

Hermann shrieked and hobbled away as fast as he could. He threw himself behind his couch, hissing as his leg protested the sudden drop to the floor. He slammed against the back of it and covered his mouth. Oh god he couldn’t do this. He was going to have to text Tendo to come over and take care of it-- Or he could if he hadn’t left his phone on the  _bloody_  couch!

He listened for more noise, and only soft breathing answered. He couldn’t look again. This was so embarrassing. Would the android be offended? What if he didn’t like Hermann? Not that this was important, seeing as he didn’t plan on doing anything with him.

“...Are you behind the couch, dude?”

Hermann’s heart leapt into his throat, and his breath froze in his chest. “I-...” What did he even say? “…Yes. Yes I am.”

The android snorted. “Why?”

Hermann swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut. “I-… You’re not what I was expecting, I suppose.”

“Well I’m kinda what you get when you don’t make any real specifications. Bottom of the barrel when you don’t pay extra, right?” He laughed and there was a pause. “Holy shit, is that ‘Astrophysics for People in a Hurry’?” Hermann blinked. He leaned up and peeked over the couch, and sure enough, the bot had run to his book shelf and was pulling down various books to skim through. “’The Elegant Universe’, you’ve got a book on Turing-- Are you a professor or something?”

Hermann stared blankly. “Excuse me?”

The man beamed at him. “I’m learning about my date for the week. What do you do?” He shelved the books again, not even remotely where he’d taken them from.

Hermann scoffed. “Do you _mind-_ ” He forced himself to stand and planted his cane, hurrying over and fixing the books. “If you could please _ask_ before you touch, I would be most appreciative.”

“Can I touch _you?_ ”

Hermann’s face went red, and he threw himself against the bookshelf. “No-!” His eyes were wide, and against his will to keep them aloft, his eyes angled downward again. He made a distressed noise and covered his eyes with his hands. “Did they not send you with some sort of clothing you can wear!?”

The man glanced back at the box. “Oh, probably. I don’t think I’ve ever worn anything though. Usually people just get me outta the box and go to town.”

“Well that is not what I plan on doing, so if you could go and get dressed, please.” Hermann still didn’t look.

The man made a thoughtful noise, and his footsteps padded back toward the box. “Sure, I can do that.”

This was a _very_ convincing AI. Most of the ones he dealt with on the daily had a tell of sorts; Inflection was always lacking, slang seemed forced, there was always something _off_ about their voices in general-- the uncanny valley, as it were. But this one spoke like a normal man. Hermann was beginning to think they straight up sent him a human.

He peeked from under his hand and found the proof that told him that wasn’t true. Two nodes of light glowed on either side of his spine near his shoulder blades. They settled deep, and Hermann knew that spine articulation design anywhere; his robotics lab had designed it. This man was definitely an android. The lights disappeared under a t-shirt as the android tugged it on.

Then Hermann’s traitorous eyes fell to the man’s round, pert backside, and he ripped his view away again. Who the hell put shirts on before their pants!? He gave a deep sigh and walked away, sitting on the couch and facing the opposite direction. There was a shuffling a fabric, a few fumbled steps and a curse as the man seemed to have trouble getting the pants on, and then the sound of a zipper. Seconds later, the couch sank at his side as the android planted himself beside him and smiled. “So. What are we doing?”

“I-… Nothing. We’re not doing anything, I’m sending you back.” Hermann retrieved his laptop and opened it up again.

There was only silence from the android, but he dared to look, and the poor thing looked _hurt_. “…Wow, I really wasn’t what you were hoping for, huh…?”

Hermann’s heart shriveled. “Oh- No, goodness it isn’t anything like that at all, I-” He sighed and looked down at his lap. “I just realised now that I made a mistake ordering something like you. I promise it isn’t you at all, I quite like the way you look- were designed-.. Oh for heaven’s sake…” He covered his face again. “I’m sorry. I’ve just never done anything like this before, it is not the kind of person I am.”

The man tilted his head. “Are you lonely?”

“I- No, not really. I have friends, but-”

“Hermann, I meant, are you _lonely?_ ” He leaned a bit closer, and Hermann went rigid.

“You… know my name?”

The bot nodded. “Yeah, it was loaded in the data banks when they sent me to you. I’m Newton, by the way. If you wanna know. Newt.” He smiled. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Hermann took a slow breath and looked into the droid’s- Newton’s- eyes. Bright, glorious, curious green eyes, god _damn_ he was designed well. “…I suppose in terms of a bed partner, I have been rather alone. But it isn’t something I mind, I’m used to being alone.”

“’Used to It’ doesn’t mean you like it.” Newton leaned a little closer and Hermann flinched. “You don’t want to know what it’s like?”

Hermann puffed up when he pushed past his nerves enough to feel offended. “It isn’t as if I’ve never laid with someone before!”

“But it’s been a while I bet.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Newton shifted to face him more completely and leaned even closer. “What I mean is that a part of you wanted this. Even if you’re second guessing yourself now, you still did it. You ordered me, you didn’t cancel it, you didn’t send me back before you even woke me up.” He smiled at him again. “You don’t want to give it even the tiniest shot?”

Hermann went quiet again. He turned his gaze away and stared down at the laptop, with the cursor still hovering over the call option. He didn’t know what to do. Why, why was Tendo not more helpful than he had been!?

“You’ve got twenty four hours,” Newton helpfully reminded him. “I got here about seven p.m., if you don’t like me by six p.m. tomorrow, you can still call and send me back.”

Hermann bit his lip. He tilted his chin up to the ceiling, gave a deep, shaky sigh, and shut the laptop. “Very well… We will try a day. But if I choose to send you back, I need to reiterate that it has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with how comfortable I feel… _using_ someone for such a thing.”

Newton nodded. “Well, I’m not really someone, am I?”

Hermann turned to him suddenly. “…I have issues thinking that way.”

“Well I’m giving you permission to start thinking that way.”

“You mean you were programmed to give me such permission.”

Newton’s eyes half-lidded. “Or maybe I just really wanna make you feel good.”

Hermann gave a frustrated huff. “You know, for a bot who wants to hurry up and get to work, you’re not exactly taking an initiative. Are you trying to be coy?”

Newton shook his head. “Nah. I could if you wanted me to, but… You told me not to touch you.” His smile was soft. “I can’t take an initiative until you tell me I can touch you.”

Hermann narrowed his eyes. He thought about it, and sure enough, no matter how close Newton had gotten to him, he hadn’t once touched him since Hermann nearly shrieked at him not to. He sighed and settled back into his couch. “…I give you permission. But-” He sucked in a breath and covered his face. “If we could move slowly? And nothing so… _heavily_ intimate yet, I’m-… I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

“By heavily, do you mean sex?”

Hermann flinched at how open Newton was. He managed a nod.

Newton grinned again (and Hermann had been right; his face held a smile beautifully) and got up. He passed a lamp and flipped it on, hurrying to a nearby wall and flipping off the overhead light. When Hermann sent a questioning look his way, he only smirked (which looked amazing on his face as well) and said, “Ambience.”

He made his way back to Hermann’s side and sat down, but now their legs were flush against each other. Hermann still had his hands over his nose and mouth, looking almost like prayer, and Newton was suddenly leaning close to his ear. The shudder ran through Hermann before Newton even spoke.

“If I go anywhere you don’t want to go, stop me. It won’t hurt my feelings.” And he pressed a kiss to the lobe of Hermann’s ear.

Hermann didn’t stop the gasp. It was tiny, barely there, but now that he was actually feeling Newton on him, he couldn’t help it. Newton was warm. His hands moved slowly to their destinations, controlled like a surgeon’s, but caring like he’d known and been with Hermann for years. Hermann tried to force himself to think about the astounding programming rather than wondering if Newton actually enjoyed what he was doing. But it was difficult to think of much of anything when those talented-- _programmed_ \-- lips continued their gentle assault over the vibrating pulse of his throat. The move caused his hunched shoulders to shift downward, out of the way, and he dropped his hands to his sides, unsure what to do with them.

Newton ran a hand up Hermann’s chest and grinned against his neck. “Breathe, Hermann.”

Hermann did so, if only because he was reminded that he hadn’t been. “Sorry…”

“Too fast?” Newton splayed his hand over Hermann’s heart. “I can go slower, but I think that’s classified as torture in some countries.” His thumb ran the line of Hermann’s collarbone.

Hermann shook his head. “No, I-… I just need to get used to it…”

Newton leaned back with an arched eyebrow. “Hey, I already told you ‘used to it’ doesn’t mean you like it. Do you like it?”

Hermann swallowed air again. He let himself get lost in those stellar green eyes before giving him a hint of a nod. “…I do. I think.”

Newton smiled again. He let the hand on Hermann’s chest crawl up his neck and cup his cheek. “Then relax. And remember that this stops whenever you want it to.” Without further ado, Newton leaned up and kissed the corner of Hermann’s mouth. He kissed the other corner, kissed Hermann’s nose with a grin and made Hermann laugh weakly. He tilted his head down, beaming at the first smile he’d managed to pull out of Hermann. Then he kissed that whole smile.

Hermann moaned into it. Newton was absolutely good at this. There was no denying that. Hermann’s thoughts spanned anywhere from marveling how realistic the texture of Newton’s tongue was to wondering if Newton minded that he likely tasted of tea. He could feel the purpose in Newton’s fingers as they ran over the undercut around his ear and slid behind the small of his back.

Newton giggled into his mouth and pulled away. “I’ve got carbon fiber bones, Herms, I’m not gonna break.”

Hermann shook himself out of his daze to comprehend the words. “I beg your pardon?”

“You can touch me, too. Were you waiting for permission?” Newton still seemed amused.

“I-…” Hermann inhaled. “I don’t know what I should do… What you would like.”

Newton suddenly looked _touched._ “Aw, Hermann, that’s crazy sweet of you.” He reached down and took Hermann’s hands in his, leading them up to his neck and face. “You can start here. Then just move them wherever you want. If you get lost, you can come right back to home base.” He smiled again and leaned back in. “I just like being appreciated.”

The words struck Hermann as a little odd, but he wasn’t able to dwell on it for long. He had a mouthful of Newton’s tongue and handfuls of Newton’s hair, and all he wanted to focus on were those damn hands at his waist.

They were, for lack of a better term, snogging, and Newton’s hands were being far more adventurous than Hermann’s were. Newton had one hand roaming the thin expanse of Hermann’s back, and the other was paying close attention to Hermann’s sweater vest-clad abdomen. He would run that hand down to just below his navel and back up again. Down and back up. Down and, as he traveled north again, took the sweater vest with it. Hermann gasped against the mouth on his own, feeling those warm fingertips through the significantly thinner shirt and wanted to arch into the touch. The slight movement slid him down the cushions and straightened the bend of his hips. The new position was slightly more comfortable for his leg, but Hermann hadn’t been able to focus on that at all.

Newton hummed into Hermann’s mouth and let his hand stroll downward again. It left the sweater vest up on his chest and found its way back toward his navel, hooking his pinky and ring finger under the clasp of a button and taking the undershirt with it as it rose back up again. The heat now dragged directly over his skin, and Hermann threw his head back without thinking. He cried out weakly, closing his eyes and pursing his lips to keep himself quiet. Newton took this opportunity to latch onto Hermann’s throat and trace his tongue along that hot pulse again. Hermann was losing his damn mind, and until he returned to his senses, he was absolutely fine with that.

Newton’s hand roamed back down the now bare, thin stomach, and Hermann had barely two seconds to reflect on how scrawny he must have seemed to Newton before the hand set to work ever lower. It made short work of his belt. It popped free the button of his pants and dragged the zipper down with little effort. Then it rose back up, pressed down the palm completely, and dragged down the length of his chest, stomach, and navel-- straight into his pants.

As Newton’s hand arced down and cupped at Hermann’s cock, Hermann swore he could see stars. He was already half hard, but with the near direct contact, he was full mast in seconds. The cry he gave was silent, shocked-- an open mouthed expression of sudden lust and need. One of his hands dropped to his side and gripped the fabric of the arm of the couch like his life depended on it. The other, tangled in Newton’s hair, gripped just as desperately.

Newton groaned. He lifted his head higher and pressed a kiss to the side of Hermann’s open mouth. His hand rose again, but not all the way to his chest. Instead, it hovered to his navel and then dipped under the waistband of Hermann’s boxer briefs. Hermann’s mouth slammed shut, and he bit his lip to keep the sounds in. Newton appeared to not be satisfied with that at all and let his fingers trace the veins up to the head of his prize. Hermann let out a loud gasp, a yelp if anything, and his other hand joined the one in Newton’s hair, holding his head close. “ _Newton!_ ”

Newton sucked on an already bruising point on his throat. “Need me to stop?”

“ _Please_ no… Please…” Hermann tilted his head so that he was panting into Newton’s hair.

“Please no? Or-”

“Please do _not_ stop…!”

Newton smiled and kissed the point on his neck again. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He freed the pulsing member from the confines of its prison and gave it a firm, slow stroke.

“ _God, Newton…!_ ” Hermann ducked his head and buried his nose in Newton’s hair. He smelled like metal shavings and a bit like fire, and Hermann tried to ignore the feeling that working around metal as he always had was going to be rather awkward now.

Newton snickered. “Just Newton is fine.” Hermann could have rolled his eyes if they weren't already rolled into the back of his head. Newton was making jokes with his hand around Hermann’s dick. If Hermann could form sentences, he might have shamed him for not taking this seriously, but for now, he felt appreciative for the lighthearted atmosphere. It felt real. It felt almost like this was completely consensual, and he could believe that Newton was a real man with a real attraction to someone like Hermann. It was already beginning to hurt thinking about how none of it was true.

As Newt’s talented hand worked its magic, Hermann knew the end wasn’t far. He dropped his head back to the couch again and gasped out something about a mess. He wasn’t really able to word his full concern, but the breathy ‘ _mess_ ’ he managed to give the ceiling was enough for Newton to understand. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that.”

Before Hermann could piece together what that meant, Newton was kissing a fast, urgent line down his exposed chest and belly, and taking his aching cock into his mouth.

The heat was indescribable. Newton’s tongue undulated against the length now down his throat, and Hermann’s back arched in shock. His mouth fell open permanently as he wasted no more effort on keeping quiet, and his head snapped back up to watch Newton work. His hands found the back of Newton’s head and held tight to his hair, trying not to shove Newton down any further in case he hurt him-- _damaged_ him.

Newton made a pleased noise, which reverberated along his dick and settled somewhere in his spine. He pulled back, hollowing his cheeks and peering up for a second with those gorgeous green eyes before descending upon him completely again. The head of his cock reached the back of his throat, and that was all it took.

Hermann threw his head back and then sideways, screaming into the cushion of the couch as he came, and bucking as Newton swallowed it all. God, he could _feel_ Newton swallowing around him. And he kept going, until Hermann’s hips stilled and his arms fell limply to his sides. Newton finally drew away, lips tight to ensure nothing escaped, and pulled away completely with a small pop. He swallowed again and tucked Hermann back into his underwear once he was sure he’d caught every drop. Newton fastened his pants and carefully pulled both layers of Hermann’s shirts back down over his bare skin until he no longer felt exposed. The hum of afterglow tried to vibrate through him, but it was closely followed by shame. He forced his arms to work again, and he lifted his hands to cover his face completely. This was so awful. He shouldn’t have done this. He shouldn’t have opened the damn box--

“Hermann? Are you okay…?”

Newton’s soft words snapped Hermann out of his downward spiral. He turned his head slowly toward the voice as his chest heaved from the expended energy. Newton looked worried. He looked concerned and a little scared.

“Did I-… Did I go too far?”

Newton did not deserve this. Hermann bit his lip and reached over to stroke Newton’s face. “Not at all. I would have stopped you if you had, like I promised.”

Newton smiled again, the glee returning and willing away Hermann’s dark, nervous thoughts. Maybe. Maybe the week with Newton wouldn’t be so bad after all. If he kept smiling at him like this, Hermann wasn’t about to complain.

It was just a week.

What could go wrong in a week?


	2. Day 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I planned on having each day be a chapter after the introduction, and then I remembered that I am an excessively overzealous writer.
> 
> So here is 9k of fluff and porn because I cannot stop.

Hermann awoke the next morning in his bed, slightly off to the right. He usually slept dead center, bad leg arched up on many pillows, and hands laced over his chest.

But today there was a new factor. Newton was tucked beneath his left arm, wearing a t-shirt (that Hermann had to talk him into) and boxers (that Hermann nearly _forced_ him into when Hermann’s suggestion of getting ready for bed was met with Newton pulling his pants completely off and getting ready to sleep as nude as he’d awoken). His head was nestled on Hermann’s shoulder, light due to his structure’s carbon fiber nature, and his arm was wrapped around Hermann’s chest. Newton’s legs had replaced the pillows Hermann normally used to prop his bad leg up, and even as embarrassed awareness settled in, Hermann could admit that he’d never slept more comfortably. Newton breathed evenly. His eyes were shut as if he was sleeping, lips parted just slightly as his chest rose and fell. Honestly, if Hermann hadn’t been told about Newton’s mechanical nature, he would have been so damn sure he was human.

Hermann sighed. He carefully pulled his arm out from under Newton’s head. He lifted Newton’s other arm off of his chest and shifted his legs down, to the flat of the bed and then around to the floor. As his bare feet touched down, Hermann leaned forward on his knees with a deep, tired sigh.

“Where are you going?”

Hermann jumped at the voice. He turned back and saw Newton still snuggling into the pillow with a soft smile on his face. He swallowed to wet his suddenly dry throat. “I… I thought I might shower.”

“Want me to join you?” Newton offered with a yawn. It sounded, inexplicably, like sleep was clouding his voice, but that shouldn’t have been so; As soon as Newton booted up for the day, he should have been awake. It must have been programming.

“I-… that’s quite all right, I believe I can manage the task on my own.” He collected his cane and stood from the bed.

“You _can_ manage it, but do you really want to?” Newton leaned his head on his hand.

Hermann sighed again. He turned back to Newton, who looked a little more awake now, and fiddled with the head of his cane. “Newton, do _you_ want to join me…?”

Newton grinned at him. “I really do.”

Hermann stared down at the floor. God, he was so perfect. “…All right. But I do not expect any… services. I would simply enjoy the company.”

Newton gave a whoop of joy and hopped out of bed. He rushed around Hermann to pull doors open like an eager gentleman. “I’ll start the shower. Any particular temperature?” He asked, as they entered the bathroom.

Hermann’s bathroom was rather large in comparison to a standard one. There was a standing shower with plenty of room for both of them and the shower chair he needed. There was a separate tub, oval in shape, with plenty of safety bars and poles for Hermann to hang on to so that he may bathe comfortably and without aide. There were two sinks, a wall wide mirror, and a medicine cabinet that was packed to the brim with old pill bottles Hermann felt he had to save. There was also a normal chair, seated just by one of the sinks, where Hermann could sit if he needed it. Hermann had a lot of random chairs, but Newton hadn’t seemed to notice or care. Hermann appreciated it.

He shut the door behind them. “I prefer it hot, but not unbearable. I need the warmth to sooth the muscles in my leg.”

“Know what else helps with that?” Newton turned the water on and held his hand under it to test the temperature. “Massage.”

Hermann gave a short laugh and began unbuttoning his pajama top. “And I expect you’re completely loaded with massage techniques?”

“I mean, obviously. But also, legit ones. I can go to work on your leg for you if you want.” Newton adjusted the temperature a few times before shutting the door . “You’ve got a shower chair, that’ll make it easy.”

Hermann was having trouble pulling his shirt off now. It was occurring to him slowly that Newton was about to see him nude, and he’d gone through great lengths to avoid letting people see him as such. He hadn’t even been comfortable with his thin body before the accident, and he certainly isn’t comfortable now.

Newton seemed to catch on and stood up to look him in the eye. “Hey, you okay?”

“I-” Hermann bit his lip. “I’m sorry, I’m not used to being exposed in front of anyone…”

“I’m not really an ‘anyone’, Herms, I’m a thing. If that helps.”

“It does not.” Hermann frowned deeply. “You are someone. To me, you are, and I won’t be able to see you as anything but.”

Newton smiled slow and lifted a hand to Hermann’s cheek. “That’s why you keep asking me what I want to do.” He was beaming, and he ran his thumb along Hermann’s sharp cheekbone. “Hermann, lemme level with you here. I really, _really_ wanna see you naked. Does _that_ help?”

Hermann snorted and leaned into the hand against his better judgement. “I hope, then, that I do not disappoint you.”

“I doubt you could.”

Hermann shed the armour of his pajama top. He hung it around the back of the chair and took a slow breath. He gripped the hem of his pants and, with an encouraging, enamoured look from Newton, tugged them down.

He was afraid to look up and gauge Newton’s reaction as he stepped out of the pants so he wouldn’t trip. He lifted them up and carefully folded them and set them on the chair with the shirt.

Newton was more than happy to not let Hermann wait in anticipation. “Holy shit, you’re gorgeous, Hermann.” Newton sounded breathless.

Hermann ducked his head. “I suppose I should be happy you’re programmed with compliments.”

“Pssh.” Newton ran his hand down Hermann’s arm. “It’s not just programming, dude. If I like what I see, I say it. There’s a reason I haven’t said anything about your hair.”

Hermann narrowed his eyes at Newton. “What’s wrong with my hair?”

Newton snorted. “Oh, so many things. I’ve got a list, if you want me to read it.”

Hermann swatted at Newton’s arm. “Hush. There’s nothing wrong with my hair.”

“If you’re a Turing fan.”

“Which I happen to be, thank you very much.”

Newton smiled around a laugh. “Fair enough.” Then he leaned over and planted a kiss on Hermann’s bare shoulder. He looked up at him with a gentle, careful smile. “Feel better now?”

Hermann flushed. “…I-… I do, actually. Thank you.”

“Welcome.” He turned away and tugged his t-shirt off.

Hermann turned from him in a futile attempt to give him privacy he didn’t require and focused instead on himself in the mirror. It was the first time he’d really looked at himself since the night before, and a deep but small mark had formed on his throat from where Newton had loved it. His cheeks were pink, which he would blame on the steam filling the room, and his hair was askew. He laid a hand over the mark, not to cover it but to press it closer to himself, and ducked his head.

This could not be his life. He did not order a service droid for personal use, and he was not given oral sex last night. He did not sleep comfortably with said android, and he was not about to shower with him. He was not the type to allow sensual relations so early into knowing someone. He was not attracted to an AI and his custom built body.

And yet, he was all of those things. Hermann turned a nervous eye to Newton as he finished disrobing, that rounded backside being the first thing his eyes were drawn to. He also followed the curve of his tattooed back as it bent to let him tug the boxers off from around his ankle. Newton truly was beautiful. If he stared too long, he’d lose his breath.

He snapped his view away as Newton turned to him, pulling his eyes away from where they tried to lock onto his member. “Sorry, I-… Sorry…”

A hand caught his chin, and Newton pulled him back. “Hey, you can look, it’s okay. It's what I was built for.”

Hermann sighed and looked instead into Newton’s eyes. “I just wish to give you your autonomy.”

The smile on Newton’s face fell, but it was replaced with the barest hint of awe instead. He leaned up and tugged Hermann down into a hug, pressing his face into his shoulder. “…Thanks. That actually uh-” He cleared his throat and ducked his head further. “That actually means a lot.”

Hermann held him in return, arms around his shoulder and back. It felt for a moment like he was shielding Newton from… _something_. But before he could question it, Newton was pulling away and tugging him toward the shower. “Come on. Time waits for no man.”

Hermann stepped into the spray, and gave a deep sigh of relief as the hot water cascaded down his body. He dunked his head under the spray for a few seconds, running his hands through his short locks and over the undercut, but he eventually sat back to make room for Newton. Newton shut the frosted, glass door, and it left them in a dim light. Steam hung everywhere as Newton knelt down before him. Hermann went tense as Newton ran a hand along his thigh.

Newton smiled. “Okay, gonna tell you immediately that you’re not gonna feel any better if you don’t relax.”

Hermann gave a frustrated grunt and covered his eyes with a hand. “Sorry… I’ll try to do better.”

“You don’t have to apologise, dude, just lemme do my magic. You don’t have to do anything better, you’re doing just fine.” Newton reached up with his other hand and squeezed Hermann’s forearm. “I’ll be real professional about it. I’ll behave.” Then he dropped his hands to the leg.

Hermann forced himself to relax as Newton ran over the expanse of scars on his leg. Thumbs pressed into his skin and stretched the muscle beneath it, eliciting a deep, staunched whimper as the damaged nerves protested the move. He knew it would be good in the long run, especially in combination with the heat of the water, but he still clamped a hand over his mouth to keep the noises in.

“Does this hurt you a lot throughout the day?” Newton asked.

Hermann gave a half-nod. “A-… A bit. It is usually bearable, but I have bad days.” Hermann inhaled a cry when Newton moved his hand to the inside of his thigh and pressed down. A knot was loosened, and he exhaled slowly. “Are… Are you going to be all right? You’re waterproof?”

Newton gave him a proud grin. “Hell yeah I am. They could drop me in the middle of the ocean, and the only thing that would get me is the pressure a couple miles down.” He tucked one hand under Hermann’s leg and walked his fingers down the back of it, working the muscles in small circles. “I meant to be able to withstand a lot.”

Hermann pursed his lips. “I do not like what that implies…”

“Huh?” Newton looked up. “Oh! Oh no, don’t worry, we’ve got a strict ‘break it you bought it’ policy. Lots of people think it’s no big deal until they find out that actually purchasing the whole unit is upwards of a couple million dollars.”

Hermann’s mood didn’t get any lighter. “So if they abuse you, they’re forced to keep you so they may continue to abuse you?”

Newton hissed. “All right, I didn’t say it was perfect, but ya know. It’s prevention, really. Disclaimers everywhere.”

“I still don’t agree with it.” Hermann sank in his chair, watching the water run down Newton’s focused face as he worked. He gave a sad sigh and reached out to cup his cheek. “…And here I am funding the company that allows it…”

Newton paused to look up at Hermann. He smiled and leaned into the hand. “Hermann, it’s not like it’s slavery. We’re not real people.”

“According to whom?” Hermann asked. “Where is the line exactly? Do you not have some semblance of free will?”

Newton paused at that. He dropped his gaze back to Hermann’s leg. “I don’t,” He eventually answered.

“I don’t believe you.” Hermann tilted Newton’s face back up. “If you’re just programming, you’d have to admit that you cannot be objective when you say that I’m… attractive…”

They locked eyes, Hermann’s gaze embarrassed but caring, and Newton’s holding something unknown. Newt’s mouth opened as if to retort, but then he closed it. He turned his head away and stood away from Hermann’s leg. “Can I wash your hair?”

Hermann laughed through his nose. He let his gaze fall to the floor. “Please.”

The shower continued in silence. Newt had shifted behind Hermann, running his hands through Hermann’s short hair. Hermann closed his eyes as Newton lathered him up, and sighed as his dull fingernails raked across his scalp. Newton was gentle about it, but where everything up until this moment had felt personal and sweet, these motions felt disconnected. It felt clinical. He was at a hair dresser. He was back in the damn hospital after his accident with nurses convinced that he couldn’t take care of himself. He felt humiliated then, and he was starting to feel that way now.

He reached up and caught Newton’s hand as he went to reach for another soap. “Newton?”

Newton flinched. “Yeah?”

“When I said that I… I did not want services, I feel my meaning may have been misconstrued.” Hermann nursed his bottom lip. He wasn’t sure how to explain what he wanted.

Before he could try and put the feeling to words, Newton’s free hand caught Hermann’s jaw and ran his fingers along the sharp line of it. “No you- you weren’t, I know what you meant. Sorry, I went a little blank. Processing some things.” He ran his fingers along Hermann’s scalp again, and all of a sudden all that false pretense-- the feeling of having been together for years instead of hours-- returned.

Hermann tilted his head back into the touches. “Did you want to talk about it?”

“Oh no, not like- I mean actually processing.” Newt snickered. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Hermann’s forehead. “I can’t actually not be fine.”

Hermann arched an eyebrow. “Goodness. Just when I was starting to think about what a clever AI you are, you pull out the double negatives.” Hermann was smiling again.

Newt pouted. “Okay, sure, but like, the actual statement doesn’t get the point across. ‘I can be fine’ doesn’t make sense as a sentence in any context, let alone the context I’m using-”

“What you say instead, Newton, is ‘I am fine’.” Hermann paused. He turned around in the chair and looked Newton square in the face. “Is that a difficult thing for you to say?”

Newton, once again, faltered. He blinked once. “No,” He finally said. “Of course not.”

He still didn’t say it.

~

They exited the shower less than a half hour later and were dressed in minutes. Newton had another outfit on, tight jeans and combat boots with another t-shirt. Over that, he wore a leather jacket. The outfit suited Newton so spectacularly, but Hermann found himself wondering why he’d donned it. Hermann was in slacks, a tucked dress shirt, and a cardigan, but he wore only socks on his feet. “Are you planning on going somewhere?” Hermann asked as he took the kettle off its dock and poured the boiling water over his tea bag.

Newton was standing in a full length mirror, by the door. “What, you’re _not_ going somewhere? You’re on vacation, dude, you’re not staying in.”

Hermann had been stirring his tea, and he stopped to glare at Newton. “Yes, I am on vacation, and I will spend it as I see fit.”

Newton groaned. “Oh no. Absolutely not.” He walked across the apartment to the kitchenette and snatched the cup of tea out of Hermann’s hands, dumping it into the sink. Hermann managed an offended squawk before Newton’s hands came to his shoulders. “I know, I know, stab me with a fork later. Let’s try this again.” He pulled Hermann’s attention away from the ruined drink in the sink. “Hermann, would you like to go out for tea with me?”

Hermann glared. “I _had_ tea.”

“Yeah, and I’m gonna buy you another one. A better one.”

“With what money?”

Newton grinned then and pulled something out of his pocket, waving it at Hermann. “I come with a wallet. Fourteen-hundred dollars.” He paused and gave a shrug. “I mean technically it’s still you’re money, but it’s part of the package. I got two-hundred dollars for everyday you ordered, if you wanna be wined and dined. We could see so many movies. Or eat, like, one super ritzy meal uptown or something.”

Hermann rolled his eyes to the ceiling and then back down to Newton. “Fine. I will allow you to replace my tea.”

“So, ‘yes Newton, I’ll go on a date with you’?”

“ _Yes,_ Newton,” Hermann said, freeing his arms to lift them to Newton’s face. “I will go on a date with you.”

Newton grabbed the collar of Hermann’s cardigan and tugged him into a quick kiss. “That is what I’m here for.”

~

Newton made sure that they arrived at a cafe that Hermann had never been to. It wound up taking them a thirty minute cab ride to a different part of the city, because Newton learned quickly that most cafes in the area knew Hermann by his usual order. They wound up in an off-brand coffee lounge, with booths and dim lighting and soft rock playing over the speakers. There was a wall that looked like they hired an artist to go ballistic on it with a sharpie. As odd as the decor was, Hermann did have to admit that they had good tea.

They were seated in a booth in the corner of the establishment. Newton allowed Hermann to sit first, in the corner, and instead of sitting in front of him, he sat next to him and put his feet up on the opposite seat. Newton himself had gotten coffee.

“Can you actually taste that?”

Newton nodded with a sip in his mouth. He swallowed and beamed. “I can! I’ve never had a coffee before; it’s good.”

Hermann gave a pleasant hum. “You ought to try tea sometime. You may like it as well. The taste is not nearly as strong or bitter as coffee.”

Newton set his mug down and glanced at Hermann’s. “Could I try yours?”

Hermann pushed his mug toward Newton. “Don’t drink too much, or I’ll make you buy me another one.”

Newton smirked at him and brought the mug to his lips. Hermann curiously watched Newton ponder the flavour before the smaller man broke out into a grin. “Ooh, I didn’t think I was gonna like tea more than coffee. I was wrong.” He took another half sip and handed the mug to him. “I like that a lot better.”

Hermann wanted to feel smug as he took the mug back. “You do, do you?”

Newton turned to him and propped his elbow on the table, leaning on his hand. “Tea tastes like you.”

There was a thunk as Hermann fumbled trying to set his tea back on the table, clipping the cup on the table edge. He blushed hard, re-situated the cup on the table surface, and hunched his shoulders. “Would you please keep your voice _down-_ ”

Newton laughed at him and reached his hand over to catch Hermann’s knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I just meant when I kissed you yesterday. There was something sweet, and I didn’t know what it was. Now I do.”

“Yes, Newton, I get it. Thank you.” Hermann leaned forward onto the table and planted his elbows like he promised his father he would never do, sipping his tea and staring straight ahead. “If we are to consider this a first date, this is usually the part where we learn about each other.”

Newt snickered. “Oh, me with your dick in my mouth wasn’t the first date?”

“ _Newton!_ ”

Newton cackled and moved his hand from Hermann’s leg to the small of his back. “Sorry, sorry. Couldn’t help it.” He lifted his coffee and took another sip. “All right, mister ‘I know how first dates work’. Why don’t you go first?”

Hermann narrowed his eyes at him, trying to will the pink from his face. “Very well. Do you have any interests?”

“Oh wow. You wanna narrow that down, because that ranges from like, 80s rock to basically everything on your bookshelf.” Newt’s hand was rubbing lazy little circles into Hermann’s back, and it was making him shiver.

Hermann gestured to him with his mug. “Let us focus on the sciences then. Do you have any special interests there?”

Newton lit up in a way an android should not have been able to do and leaned away from the table, closer to Hermann. “Biology. Human, marine, zoo, all kinds. Like, I could explain to you all damn day how the processes of an android work, but that’s just machines and numbers and data approximating human existence, right? I wanna learn about the good ol’, standard, living body. Because it does all the same stuff, but naturally. Like nobody designed your body to take that tea and metabolise it the way you do, and nobody told your body to react the way it does to stimulation. All of that had to be pieced together in me, and you just have it. I wanna know what else real bodies can do.”

Hermann could only stare as Newton took a breath to keep going. It was a wonder how much curiosity was crammed into the android, a marvel if anything. The more human Newton seemed, the harder it was for Hermann to believe him when he said that he wasn’t his own person.

“Like for example, your heart rate just went up. You’re not exercising, you’re not unhealthy or stressed right now, and I know you’re not in love with me, so like, why is that?”

Hermann dropped his gaze. He hadn’t even noticed. “Well I may not be in love with you, but it’s always exhilarating watching someone speak of things they enjoy.” He glanced at his tea and ran his thumb along the rim. “I may not be a biologist, but if you do have any questions, or perhaps you’d like to go to the library, I would be happy to help you.”

Newton was still glowing. “Sure hope we’ll have enough time.” He tilted his head. “My turn now?” Hermann nodded, and Newton pondered a thought. “What is… your favourite meal? Like a comfort food?”

Hermann gave a laugh. “I ask you a question about your scientific interests, and you ask me about food?”

“Ha! What!? No, you asked the most basic-ass, general question about what I like, and I had an existential answer.” He leaned back. “Come on, maybe I’m asking you for a deeper reason. My question, now pay up.”

Hermann rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Indian food. I’m partial to a good korma.”

Newton looked confused. “Indian food? How’s that follow? I’m no cartographer, but Germany isn’t exactly next door to India.”

“I was raised in England.” Hermann chuckled when Newt’s eyebrow rose. Clearly that didn’t clear anything up. “There are a startling number of Indian restaurants in England, so much so that it’s a bit of an unofficial English tradition to partake on occasion. It’s prevalent.” Hermann tilted his head. “How did you know I’m from Germany?”

“Is that your question?” Newt smirked.

Hermann lidded his eyes in mock annoyance and whacked him in the shoulder. “If it must be, but perhaps you can add a personal detail to make it worth it.”

Newt snickered and leaned back in his seat. “’Gottlieb’.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right, you have my full name.”

“Yep. And you can’t get more German than that. I’m actually German too if you get real technical. That’s where my AI was designed. I’m a Geiszler model. So, I guess you can call me Newton Geiszler.”

Hermann looked shocked. He knew of that model. “Geiszler- I know that company. They supply the learning AIs we use to design and built robotics at my place of employment.”

“No fucking way! You technically work with a ton of my brothers and sisters!” Newt laughed again. “That’s badass, dude.”

“The Geiszler models are astounding in how quickly they pick things up.” Hermann shifted his body more toward his companion, and Newton’s hand was shift to his side by the motion. “There is a model 3B12 servo that has learned to greet me in the morning, and I believe she’s been teaching the others. Often when the conveyors stop for the night, I’ve seen them waving at each other before they shut down. It’s remarkable!”

Newton’s eyes filled with some kind of emotion then, and Hermann was having trouble pinpointing what it was. “Who taught them how to greet people?”

Hermann gave a short, sheepish shrug. “I suppose I did. She’s a part of my station in a way, a part of my route, and I’m not the type to fail to greet my coworkers.”

“Does she have a name?”

“Don’t be silly,” Hermann scoffed and looked away, leaning back into the seat. “She’s a 3B12 servo, she was not given another designation.”

Newton was grinning. “Herms,” He said, a knowing tone in his voice as his arm snaked around Hermann’s waist again. “What did you name her?”

Hermann ducked his head and smiled. “Charlotte.” He lifted his tea to his lips and sipped it slowly.

When Newton didn’t say anything in response, Hermann finally looked back at him and found that Newton’s eyes had dilated. He was looking at Hermann like he was the most astonishing thing in the room, and Hermann shrank under the gaze. “…Newton?”

Newton shook himself out of his intense stare but did not look away. “Sorry. I just, uh… You’re kind of amazing, you know that?”

Hermann gave him a soft smile and dropped his gaze in modesty. “I’m nothing so stellar. Please do not celebrate me for paying AI the bare minimum of respect that they deserve.”

“You advocated against my unwilling enslavement earlier.”

Hermann laughed and nodded. “I did.” He lifted his eyes to stare into Newton’s again. “And yet, you still deserve more.”

Newton stared back. Then he leaned in. At first, Hermann was startled by the lips on his own, and every ounce of dignity that was currently conscious in his head screamed at him to make it stop. They were in public, and there were people here. But as the sensation took over, his dignity had shit-all to do with how he wanted to proceed.

The kiss was slow. In the dim lighting, with soft music playing and nobody paying them any mind, it felt like they were alone. Newton tasted of too-bitter coffee, and Hermann knew that he himself tasted of too-sweet tea. Cinnamon and French vanilla hung in the air with the smell of baked goods and made the kiss that much sweeter. The room was warm, Newton was warm, and as Hermann wrapped his arms around Newton’s shoulders, he wanted nothing more than to drink it all in.

Newton’s hands danced along Hermann’s waistline. They slipped themselves under the cardigan and dragged hot trails along his skin through the fabric of his buttoned shirt. Hermann shivered and continued to match Newton kiss for slow, gentle kiss.

One of Newton’s hands dropped to his knee and squeezed. Then it rose higher along his mid thigh, and higher still. When Newton’s fingers ghosted over his clothed member, Hermann gave a surprised whimper--

And yanked away, nearly throwing himself into the wall. The noise seemed to have startled Newton as well, who’d turned to the table and grabbed his coffee, trying to drink it and pretend that they hadn’t just been the source of the lewd sound. They sat, stretched a foot apart, for a minute or two until it became clear that either nobody had heard them, or nobody had cared. Newton leaned on his hands and peered sideways at Hermann, who had his hands over his mouth. Hermann returned the look and laughed, breathy and nervous. Newton shook his head and joined in.

When the nervous energy died down, and they fell into a comfortable silence again, Hermann became painfully aware that he was cold now. He was cold, and his pants were tighter, and all he knew was that Newton was _warm_. He swallowed his nerves and looked to the hall nearby that led to the restrooms. “If you’ll excuse me, Newton. I… I need to visit the loo.”

Newton blinked at him, looking a bit like he was nervous again, and slid out of the booth. “Right, sure. Sorry.” He sat back down on the opposite side, ready to await Hermann’s return.

Hermann stepped carefully to the mouth of the hall and turned back to Newton. He sighed, pursing his lips. Apparently, Newton had missed the hint. “ _Newt,_ ” He hissed.

Newt looked up at him.

Hermann jerked his head toward the hall, ushering Newton to follow.

The mischievous grin lit Newton’s face, and he nearly tripped as he scrambled out of the booth.

Their drinks remained on the table, mostly empty, and now too cold to finish.

Hermann’s back was press against the inside of the bathroom wall before he could think. Newton had resumed kissing him before they had even gotten the door shut, and he locked it without even looking. He’d leaned his torso into Hermann’s and forced him back against the wall hard, but Newt had his hands on the back of his head and along his spine to make sure the move didn’t hurt. It knocked a gasp from Hermann, but he used that motion to accept Newton’s tongue against his once more. Newton’s hold was firm, keeping weight off his bad leg. It was a small favour, but so thoughtful, and it took so much to think of something like that in the heat of this moment. But Newton did.

God, Hermann wanted so badly for this all to be real.

He wanted to pretend that Newton was another scientist who’d moved to town. They’d met months ago at a meeting with clients from another company, one Newton worked for, and they hit it off. Newton had found out Hermann’s vacation was this week and took off the same time, and they’d already gotten past getting to know each other. Newton fell in love fast, and that love was infectious and took Hermann right along with him. They were going to spend the rest of the vacation together. Maybe a month down the line, Newton would ask him to move in with him. Maybe they would argue about living habits, but they’d eventually compromise and make love on a new couch to break it in. Maybe they would live together for years. Maybe he’d ask for Newton’s hand, maybe Newton would ask for his.

But Hermann only had him for a week. He’d known Newton for less than a day and had played through an entire, hypothetical life he could never have in his head.

Newton kissed him deeper and rocked his hips against Hermann’s. Hermann hid the sob from his sorrow in a moan of delight. He couldn’t focus on what he didn’t have. He had Newton now, eager, and frantically yanking Hermann’s shirt out of his pants. He would not squander it.

Hermann gripped the collar of Newton’s leather jacket and shoved it off of his shoulders. As Newton took the wordless command and yanked it off the rest of the way, Hermann took the few seconds he was free to pull off his cardigan. When Newton was free of his jacket, Hermann dove back in and pulled the bottom of his t-shirt up past his tattoos. Newton gave a breathless laugh and raised his arms to facilitate the move. As soon as the shirt was clear, Hermann pressed himself back against the wall to give himself the chance to take those tattoos in.

They appeared to be Japanese traditional, bright colours depicting sea creatures and reptiles across the expanse of his chest and along his arms. He knew there was more on his back, but perhaps he would get to see that view later. Perhaps Newton would scream into a pillow for him as Hermann ran his fingers over those designs along his spine and thrust into him. How loud could Newton be? How good could Hermann make him feel?

…Could he even feel it?

In Hermann’s distraction, he hadn’t noticed that Newton had begun unbuttoning Hermann’s shirt. He reached out and cupped his face, lifting to look at him. “Newton…”

“What? Want me to leave it on?”

“No, I… Can you feel this? Any of it?” Hermann bit his lip and rolled his hips forward until they met Newton’s again. “Or are you just reacting according to programming…?”

Newton’s eyelids fluttered at the movement, and he laughed. “ _Trust_ me, dude. I feel it. I promise I feel it.” He finished unbuttoning Hermann’s shirt and slipped it down his shoulders, which Newton kissed once they were exposed. “This isn’t about me though, stop worrying.”

Newton looked down to tackle Hermann’s pants, but Hermann caught his chin and directed him back. He stared straight into those pools of green. “It’s as much about you as it is me. Don’t put your pleasure second to mine… please.”

Newton, now nose to nose with Hermann and those eyes so full of concern, took a sudden, whirring breath and held it. His mouth shut and those lips trembled. Then he planted them back on Hermann’s. “Together then,” He said, letting Hermann feel those shaky words.

Hermann smiled against Newton. He watched as Newt gingerly went for his own pants first, undoing the button and tugging the zipper down. Hermann was reminded immediately that Newton hadn’t bothered with underwear when his cock sprang free as soon as Newton shimmied the pants down an inch. Newton returned to Hermann’s pants and slipped the belt through the clasp. “I am going to humbly request that you stop wearing Chinese puzzle boxes over your dick, because it is taking entirely too long to get to it.”

Hermann let out a bark of laughter. “Consider it a challenge, then.”

“Well every masterpiece is usually kept behind lots of security, so I guess that’s fair.” Newton smirked at him and yanked the belt out of its loops once it was undone. He popped the two buttons at the top of his pants and threw the zipper down. Instead of pulling the pants down, Newton ran his hands up Hermann’s bare sides and back down, dipping them under the hem of those boxer briefs Hermann insisted on wearing and shoved them both down.

Hermann shuddered as his member was ghosted by the chill of the air, and the heat of Newton’s lower abdomen. Newton was standing so close, and he’d gone back to kissing Hermann breathless, but all Hermann could focus on was the feeling of that cock sliding directly next to his. Newton rocked his hips once, and the friction burned so sweetly into Hermann that his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His hands found home base-- grasped in Newton’s hair and cupping the side of his head-- and he wavered out a gasp. Newton’s own hands ran teasingly along his sides before one dexterous hand wrapped them both in that same sweltering heat. Newton was like a furnace everywhere, and Hermann wanted to melt into him. He didn’t know what it was about Newton-- with his short stature and messy hair and tattoos and overzealous attitude-- but he was not about to last long.

He supposed that would be better off for them. They were about as close to being in a public setting as he was willing to be, but this establishment had only one toilet per gender binary, and someone else would likely need to use the facilities soon. The sooner they were done, the better.

Newton’s strokes were agonisingly slow. He would move his hips and slide himself along Hermann’s length in opposite time of his hand, and the dual sensations were drawing some long, pitiful whines from Hermann, and also from Newton himself. Hermann didn’t know if Newton could actually help it or if he just didn’t care- or perhaps it was all for show. No matter the reason for the noises, Hermann didn’t want them to stop.

Until there was a rattle and a knock as someone tried the door. One of Hermann’s hands caught his own mouth to stop a particularly eager moan from escaping, and Newton squeezed his eyes shut against his own pleasure. “Occupado, man!” He called to the door, hoping it would send whoever it was away.

There was no response, but that didn’t mean whoever it was wasn’t waiting outside the door for their turn.

Newton looked up at Hermann for guidance, looking a little disappointed, but covering it well. He mumbled a soft apology and leaned up to kiss the hand over Hermann’s mouth. He pulled his hand away from their cocks, ready to struggle with it until they got back home-

Hermann’s hand caught him and returned him to his position. Newton gave him a confused look, but Hermann simply found Newt’s other hand and brought it to his lips. “Keep me quiet,” He whispered hot against his fingers.

Newton’s confusion morphed to ecstasy. He pressed his hand harder over Hermann’s mouth and dragged his thumb over the heads of their shafts. His thumb dipped and pressed against Hermann’s slit. Newton’s hand kept the sobs in and muffled. As Newton drew close as well, he leaned up and bit into his own knuckle, eye to eye with Hermann as the fire grew between them. Hermann’s hands found the back of Newton’s head again, and one aimlessly fell to wrap around Newton’s busy one, joining the motion.

The combined feeling of both of their hands-- Newton’s heat and Hermann’s permanent chill-- was more than enough. Hermann couldn’t bear to look away as he came, tears of relief prickling in his eyes as he watched Newton’s flutter shut. Newton’s hips bucked once, pulling another surprised whimper from Hermann who was still sensitive, and he came as well, painting their chests and stomachs in complimentary strokes against Hermann’s own.

They were a panting mess for a while. Hermann’s hand never left Newton’s hair, and the other was tightly grasped around Newton’s wrist. Newton lowered the hand at their mouths so he could plant a kiss on Hermann’s lips. “Brace on the wall, kay?” He said, reaching up to move Hermann’s hands to the wall-mounted pole.

Hermann watched Newton diligently retrieve and wet down a handful of paper towels from the sink and wipe himself clean. He tossed the soiled towels away and grabbed a few more, returning to Hermann and cleaning him up as well. He tucked Hermann back into his pants and zipped and buttoned him up carefully. He grinned at him.

“Next time we should try a bathroom with stalls.”

Hermann whacked him playfully in the back of the head. “Absolutely not.”

~

Kyle Rodriguez had been working at Felicitous Coffee House for three months. The pay was your standard barista pay, but seeing as this was a kitschy, artsy location near his college _and_ the main thoroughfare of this part of the city, the tips were crazy good.

An hour or so ago, two men who didn’t really fit the average clientele had come in, one looking like an incredibly stuffy professor and the other an off-the-clock rock star. They were an odd pair, but they sat and enjoyed each other’s company quietly in the corner, out of the way, and bothered nobody. Good for them.

At some point, he’d looked up and they were gone. Their mugs were left on the table, but there was no sign of them anywhere. They must have left. Kyle would clean their table and move on with his day.

But first, he had to pee, and whoever was in the bathroom was taking forever.

He was about to give up and run to the shop next door when the door finally cracked open and he was face to face with the professor guy. The man blinked and ducked his head. “Um- Apologies. Thank you for the tea, it was wonderful.” He said it fast, and hurried past him, pulling something out of his pocket and tossing it onto the table.

Kyle watched after him with an arched eyebrow, confused, but shrugged and turned back to the bathroom--

And nearly crashed into the rock star guy. “Shit-! Hey man, sorry.” He held his hands up with a smile and marched past him. He pulled something out of his pocket and underhanded it at the table before briskly following his friend.

Kyle kept staring after them, eyes wide. He carefully pushed the bathroom door open, afraid of what he’d find, but he found it immaculate. If anything, it was cleaner than it had been. There was no sign that anything had happened in here at all-- except a belt, that was looped over the handrail on the wall. Kyle gave a deep sigh and shut the door. No way he was risking it. He would just use the one in the next shop over.

On his way past the table the pair had quickly vacated, he glanced at it to see what they had left behind and found two twenty dollar bills hastily thrown down. He looked back at the door, half expecting the men to return after realising how much they had left. When they didn’t arrive, Kyle shrugged and picked up the money, tucking it into his apron.

Yeah. He liked this job.

~

The rest of the day, they spent within Hermann’s home. Hermann had enough of the outside and requested politely (or rather, quietly but urgently, especially after the discovery that he’d left his belt behind in an establishment he could never show his face in ever again, which was a shame, because the tea was lovely) that they stay in to avoid any more embarrassing situations like that. Newton happily agreed.

After lunch, they had decided, with Newton’s suggestion, on pajamas for the rest of the day. Newton had another laugh at Hermann’s pajama set, as he had done the night previously, and simply threw his leather jacket over a chair and replaced his pants with the boxers again.

Hermann did not have a TV. He didn’t partake in watching news or popular shows, and he read more than he watched anyway. But, they had his laptop, and Newton had some music suggestions and access to youtube. Hermann spent the first hour reading and complaining about the noise masquerading as music. Eventually he let Newton have his choices, but he put his book down and made some more tea.

Immediately after Hermann finished his tea, Newton had drawn close with a heavy look in his eyes. Hermann recognised it as a sort of infatuation as soon as Newton crawled over his lap and planted his lips on Hermann’s again.

The rest of the afternoon was slow, tea-flavoured kisses and snuggling. At some point they had re-situated on the couch and Hermann was laying on his back, bad leg slightly propped by pillows Newton had stolen from the bedroom, and Newton was sprawled over him head on his chest and arms around his thin waist. Newton’s weight on his was not as heavy as he was expecting an android to be, but he assumed that it had something to do with the carbon fiber bones and design meant to maintain a human facade. The weight was not overbearing. It wasn’t uncomfortable. It was comforting. Newton’s fingers raked hot trails along his sides and arms, and his breathing was steady.

Hermann hadn’t realised how much he’d needed something like this until he had woken up from dozing off. Newton had reached up and brushed his fingers along Hermann’s cheek until he roused with a soft groan. When he opened his eyes to the tender sensation, he found Newton smiling up at him. “Morning, sleepyhead.”

Hermann sighed and covered his eyes, rubbing them free of sleep. “Goodness, did we sleep here all night?”

Newton smiled as he shifted carefully off of Hermann and stood up. “Nah, it’s still Sunday. I just didn’t want you to miss your window.” He stretched his arms up with a sigh and reached down, pulling his t-shirt off.

Hermann sheepishly drew his legs up and went bright red when Newton suddenly pulled his boxers down and was standing there, completely nude as the moment he’d arrived. “N- _Newton!_ What on earth are you doing!?”

Newton bunched the shirt and boxers up and turned back to him. “It’s about five-thirty. You still have an hour and a half to get a hold of DD and send me back to get your whole refund.” Newton smiled, a sad thing with a wilt in his usual, bouncy walk. “I really wanted to thank you for today. I know we didn’t do much, but it’s nice to get a small view of what your mind is like.” He tilted his head and looked mischievous despite his sadness.

Hermann sat up slowly. “Five-thirty… Right.”

That’s right.

Today happened in spite of the fact that he could still send Newton back when it was over. He reached to the coffee table and pulled the laptop into his lap. When he opened the browser, the website was still there, waiting for his decision.

He really ought to send him back. Newton was wonderful to have around, but Hermann hadn’t realised how quickly he had gotten so attached to him. Newton’s AI was astounding, and his energy was infectious, and lord knew he was _excessively_ good at the sexual favours he was more than willing to shower upon Hermann if he asked for it. Having Newton for the week would be like stepping out of his dull, empty life of solitude, where the most interesting things in it were a semi-sentient servo and a questionably outgoing friend from the design department.

But then the week would end, and he’d have to step back into it after a week of something he was beginning to think no other relationship would compare to. He was going to have to say goodbye to Newton anyway, and he could either do it now, or he would have to do it after Newton had given him a full week of memories he would have to let go of as soon as he was gone. He sighed and moved the mouse over the call button.

…But if he sent Newton back now, that meant that he could be in the possession of someone who would use Newton like a toy. Somebody who was more than happy to force him into scenarios that didn’t care whether Newton wanted it or not.

Hermann closed the website for good and snapped the laptop shut. “Newton, tell me… If this situation were reversed-- if I were your purchase, and you my client-- would you deem yourself satisfied today?”

Newton blinked and tossed the crumpled clothing into the compartment he’d pulled them from. “Are you serious?” He laughed a bit. “I’d empty my life savings and try to get you for the month. I’d be a homeless bum afterwards, but it’d be worth it.” He stared a bit longer and looked down, picking at a fingernail. “…Man, it’d be worth it.”

Hermann smiled at him. “Well the way I see it, they’ve already gotten my money. I’ve budgeted my vacation without that seven thousand, and you have a little under fourteen hundred more than I was expecting you to have.” He set his laptop on the coffee table. “If I send you back, I’ll have to spend part of my vacation on paperwork… when I would much rather spend it with you.”

Newton stared at him. His eyes grew soft, and Hermann swore he saw tears building in those green depths. They were gone as quickly as they appeared, and the android sprinted away from his dock. He planted a leg on either side of Hermann’s lap and threw his arms around his neck, holding him tightly and burying his face in his shoulder.

Hermann was pink, nervous of their position and Newton’s state of dress, but he pushed that aside for the greater good of holding Newton close and letting him feel secure. He turned his head against Newton’s and released a pleased sigh.

Newton giggled, a little madly, and pulled away enough to lean his forehead against Hermann’s. “I hope you’re ready for the greatest week of your life.”

Hermann pulled a smile that pinched the corners of his eyes. “You’ve already made it so; I can’t imagine what else you have planned.” Then the bashfulness returned, and he ducked his eyes back into Newton’s shoulder. “Though I do hope your plans for the immediate future involve putting your clothes back on.”

Newton laughed and pulled his head up so he could kiss him again. Hermann hummed and kissed back. He supposed, for the moment, it was all right if Newton took a little longer to find some clothes.

~


	3. Day 2

The beginning of Hermann’s second, full day with Newton, he woke up cold. It was how he was used to waking up, so it wasn’t exactly an odd feeling, but the lack of heat against how despicably comfortable the night’s sleep with Newton had been was stark in contrast. Where was Newton? Had he gone back to the dock to charge? That couldn't have been it. He knew the lights in Newton’s spine were not just for show, and the design allowed him to collect a charge from the air just about anywhere with a long range, wireless power source.

Hermann sat up slowly, rubbing his temples and then his arms to warm them. He had to move some pillows out from beneath his leg, placed there by Newton when he vacated the space, likely. Then he found his cane diligently by the bedside table and stood. He snatched up a bottle of pills and made his way out to the kitchen. As he approached, the sound of music reached his ears first, followed by the smell of cinnamon.

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but when he arrived there, he found that Newton was at the stove. And he was cooking. Hermann’s laptop was open, and he had a youtube playlist up playing nonsense again. Nearby, on a plate, were many pancakes.

Newton was singing along with the music as he flipped another pancake. “ _-but now I’ve gone and thrown it aaaaall awaaaaay-_  Oh Hermann! Morning!” Newt set the pan down. “I hope you don’t mind, I looked up how to make you breakfast! I was gonna do cinnamon waffles, but you don’t have a waffle iron. So ya know. Reroute, did pancakes.” He lifted the pancake off the pan when it was done and lobbed it expertly at the plate. “I hope you like cinnamon. I probably shoulda asked, but then I figured you must like cinnamon if you had it in your cupboard, right? Did you want eggs? There are some left, and I know how to make ‘em over easy.”

“No, just the pancakes are fine… Newton, did you do this for me?”

“‘Course!” Newton moved the pan off the burner and turned the heat off. “I was gonna make you breakfast in bed, but then I forgot that you don’t know how to sleep in.”

Hermann laughed and rubbed at his eyes. He set the pill bottle down and moved to Newton as soon as he was free of utensils, pulling him into a lazy, morning hug. As soon as he was encased in that heat again, he gave a deep sigh of relief.

Newton giggled and wasted no time wrapping his arms around him. “Guess you’re over the nerves?”

“Something like that, I suppose.” Hermann pressed his cheek to Newton’s hair. “It was cold. I missed you.”

Newton stilled. Then he held tighter. “Oh, _Herms_ , I’m sorry man, I didn’t even think of that.”

“It’s perfectly fine. I’m quite happy with this.” Hermann closed his eyes and gave a pleased hum. When he finally pulled away, he ran a hand down to Newton’s and laced their fingers together. “We should eat. After which, I’m happy to discuss what you’d like to do today.”

“What do you mean ‘what _I’d_ like to do today'? This is your vacation, dude.” Newt pulled down some plates (after a trial and error search for them) and let Hermann take as many pancakes as he wanted first.

Hermann only took two. “I’ve already told you this is not going to be ‘all about me’.” He set his plate down and retrieved the silverware from a drawer. “If anything, I’d like you to think of this as a vacation for yourself as well. You can say no to me whenever you’d like, and we can do some things that _you_ want to do. I’m going to treat you as human as you seem.”

Newton stared.

Hermann laughed. “I don’t understand how many times I have to say it before it stops leaving you speechless.”

“It’s gonna floor me every time, Hermann,” Newton finally admitted. He looked away to grab a few pancakes for himself. There were still three left on the plate he’d placed them on; Newton had been a little eager with them, as he seemed to be in most things. “When I said usually people fucked me right outta the box, I wasn’t joking. I have never had anybody treat me the way you do, and sometimes I’m not really sure what to do with it.”

“You could enjoy it. And if there is something you do not enjoy, you ask for it to change and it will.” Hermann set his silverware on his and Newton’s plates. “Do you understand the concept of an aquarium?”

Newton nodded. “Yeah. A place to keep fish and sea life that’s separate from the wild.”

“Would you like to visit one today?”

Newton nearly dropped his plate on the counter. “Um, a thousand times yes, abso-fucking-lutely.” He set the plate down before he really lost control of it and leapt at Hermann, throwing his arms around his shoulders. “See that’s the shit I mean though, like who gave you the right to be a perfect goddamn gentleman?” He asked with a bright smile.

Hermann kissed his nose. “You make it very easy.”

“You pull these lines on all short nerds with tattoos?”

Hermann ducked his head with a smile. “I’ve not pulled lines on anyone before.” He looked back up at him. “Only you.”

And it was true. The people Hermann had been with before were always the instigators. In the end, they found him stuffy and boring, and Hermann was usually inclined to agree. But after just over a day, Hermann was finding that maybe he wasn’t so boring after all. He just needed the right person to bring the fun out of him.

It was a shame that person was a damn robot.

He felt the gentle pressure of a forehead against his, and he lifted his gaze from where it had dropped. Newton caressed his cheek. “Going to a dark place there, Herms. Wherever it is, come back.”

Hermann smiled again. “Apologies. I suppose I should keep my mind from wandering so much. I’m usually better about that.”

“Next time it wanders, take me with you. I don’t want you getting lost.” Newton kissed him once, soft, on the mouth, and turned away.

Hermann pressed his fingers to his lips. Euphemisms were usually lost on many androids, but Newton had long since proven that he was far beyond the standard model of AI. Why give such a thing to a company that rented out androids for sex? Were people complaining about how impersonal the whole thing seemed?

Wasn’t that meant to be the point?

Hermann eventually pulled himself out of his thoughts and poured himself a glass of apple juice, taking his pain medication with practiced ease. He closed his pill bottle and lifted his plate and glass again, heading for the table. Newton had shut the laptop on his way to the table and had taken a seat at the end, not bothering to wait for Hermann to sit before he began eating. It wasn’t as if Hermann minded. To see Newton feeling at home made Hermann feel… _something_. So he allowed it and sat at the side of the table. Newton had barely done anything to the pancakes on his plate. A small drizzle of syrup, and that was it. Hermann made Newton laugh by nearly drowning his. “Holy shit, man, you want some pancakes with that syrup?”

Hermann blushed. “I have a bit of a sweet tooth.”

“Mm,” Newton said around a bite of food. “So what I’m hearing is, I have to learn some desserts?”

Hermann laughed. “The way to a man’s heart, I suppose.”

“German chocolate cake.”

“Watch your language.”

Newton laughed. The sound rang through the flat and made Hermann feel lighter. God, it was going to be so hard to say goodbye when this was all over.

The rest of the meal was completed in pleasant silence. Newton seemed proud of his own meal, and he should have been; It was delicious. Hermann got flashes of a future he wouldn’t have. Newton cooking a meal for them and setting it up by candlelight on a terrace somewhere else in the world. They’ve moved, and they’re happy there, and they have a great view of the night sky.

Hermann sighed away the thought and returned to now. He ought to thank Newton for his hard work. Without a word of warning, Hermann stood up, pushing his chair out of the way, and sank to the floor. He’d braced himself and moved his leg carefully so it wouldn’t hurt. Newton made a concerned noise. “Hermann, are you okay!?”

“Don’t get up, please.” Hermann ducked under the table, and his hand caught Newton’s knee before he could move.

Newton froze. “…Wuh-… Whatcha doin’ down there?” He sounded a little breathless already. He seemed to know where this was going.

Hermann crawled the short distance to Newton’s chair, grasped the legs of it, and pushed the chair to slide back. Newton yelped and held on. Hermann popped back out from under the table directly in front of Newton and slightly between his legs. Newton looked tense, but also seconds from arousal. Hermann sent him a sheepish smile. “I figured, as they say, I owe you one.” He lifted his hands to Newton’s calves and ran his fingers under Newton’s knees. “Would you… permit me…?”

Newton’s boxers were already straining. “ _Please,_ ” He whispered, eyes locked on Hermann’s.

Hermann rolled forward on his good knee and pressed a kiss to the clothed cock before him. Newton moaned. It was a short noise, loud and clipped, and it went straight to Hermann’s groin. But this moment wasn’t about him. It was about Newton. He slipped the hem of Newton’s boxers down, and Newton wordlessly complied to an equally silent request for him to lift his legs so Hermann could remove them. The boxers were cast aside, and Newton shivered as his bare backside touched back down on the chair. His legs spread of their own accord, and Hermann made his slow and curious approach, sliding a hand along Newton’s inner thigh and watching him twitch. “You are _exquisite,_ ” He purred, running his index finger along Newton’s hardening length.

It was such a lewd thing, but all Hermann wanted to do was study this immaculate shaft for hours. It reacted the way any cock should to stimulation, it was warm to the touch, and only grew warmer the more Hermann touched it and the louder Newton became. “ _Fffucking_ hell, Hermann…” He propped his feet up on his toes, and Hermann could feel Newton’s legs twitching.

Newton was a sensitive thing. Every brush was the greatest thing Hermann could have done, and his cock was already weeping before Hermann had really even started anything. Newton’s arms came up around his head and grabbed the back of the chair, holding on for dear life. Hermann pressed his finger against the head of Newton’s member and pulled it away, enjoying the string of liquid that pulled between them. “If you don’t mind me being curious, what exactly is this made of?”

“I _cannot_ believe you’re asking me a queh-question right now…!” Newton panted.

Hermann grinned up at him. “Perhaps I just like to hear your voice.” Hermann place his full palm on the prize, sliding over it. “Won’t you ease my curiosity?”

“Suh- _hah_ -saline… and-and glucose I think? Anything I can-… pull from food or the air- _Fuck-_ your hands are freezing…” Newton’s chest rose and fell heavily.

Hermann laughed and removed his hand. “I may have a solution. Could you lift your legs please?”

“And put them where? On the table?” Newton laughed as well, but it was breathless and shaky. “What kind of stodgy Englishman are you?” He teased. Still, he did as he was asked and his legs found the table’s surface.

“I like to think I’m a spot of fun as well.” Hermann said, planting a kiss on the inside of Newton’s leg. “Thank you.”

‘You’re welcome’ looked like it was trying to be said, but Hermann descended upon his cock, wrapping his lips around the head, and all that tumbled from Newton’s mouth was a loud, high pitched wail. “ _Shit! Oh_ my god, Hermann!”

Newton was _vocal_ when he was in a situation where he could be. Hermann didn’t know if that was programmed, or if maybe that’s just the way Newton chose to be. He hoped for the latter and curled his arms under Newton’s legs, sinking lower on his shaft.

“Oooh _fuck_ -… You-” Newton’s hips twitched in Hermann’s hold. “H-Have you done this before…!?”

Hermann smirked around him and pushed his tongue forward in his mouth along the length. He withdrew slowly to the moans of Newton and the rattling of the silverware still on the plate as Newton’s trembling legs shook the table.

Newton’s hand tightened their hold on the back of his chair, and he slid further down the seat. “ _God,_ yeah you have...” His hips tried to buck, but Hermann’s arms were holding him down. He whimpered and bit his lip. “I’m so- _uh!_ \- sorry I called you stodgy…! I’ll never make that mistake aga- _aah!_ ”

Hermann wasn’t sure if it was Newton’s hips fighting him or the pitch of the sounds Newton was now trying to stifle, but Hermann had a feeling he was already close. It was nice to know that his hair trigger personality extended to his sensitivity as well. Newton had been so wonderful to him their first night, and Hermann was more than happy to return the favour. He drew back a few times, each descent taking Newton in a bit deeper (he couldn’t do it all at once; he was a bit rusty). He shifted his arms out from under Newton and moved them over instead when it became clear Newton could no longer hold still. He leaned his weight on him, arms curling up Newton’s sides and around his back. He pulled his head back, slowly, trying to drag every noise he could out of Newton.

Newton’s legs were filled with earthquakes. “Hah-Herm-! I-… I’m sorry Hermann-…! O-Oh _fuck!_ ” Newton’s feet planted on the table, his hands gripped the back of the chair and his hips thrust.

Hermann’s weight could not stop him as Newton bucked down his throat, and he kept going. Newton’s hips rose completely off of the chair, taking Hermann with them, and he cried out as he came apart. His synthetic seed spilled down Hermann’s throat, and he had barely enough awareness to swallow it all down instead of choke. His knees were barely touching the floor.

When Newton finally settled back onto the chair, he was a panting mess, and each exhale sounded a little like apology after apology after apology. Hermann braced his good leg on the floor first and settled onto it as he pulled back and coughed once. He wiped his mouth and moved his hand to Newton’s chest, feeling the heavy panting for himself. “Why on earth are you apologising?”

Newton licked his lips to wet them and tried full sentences again. “I just… couldn’t hold back. That was-… That was-…”

Hermann smiled and leaned forward even more to cup the side of Newton’s face. “I’ll take the speechlessness as a compliment.”

“Oh it _is._ ” Newton managed a weak smile.

Hermann’s door bell rang to life. He jumped, as did Newton. Newton glanced down at him, eyes wide and a bit nervous. “Were you expecting company?”

Hermann shook his head. “I was not.” He shifted with a grunt and gripped the edge of the table. “Would you- Would you mind helping me up?”

Newton’s vice grip left the chair finally, and he stood on wobbly legs. “Yeah, definitely! Sorry, here.” He kicked the chair further away and, rather than taking Hermann’s hand, he tucked his arms under Hermann’s and hauled him easily off the floor. “Why’d you even do that, man, is your leg okay?”

“My leg is fine.” Hermann, arms around Newton for balance, steadied himself. “Goodness. You’re stronger than you look.”

“I could lift a car, dude.”

“That is _immensely_ attractive,” Hermann promised. Newton beamed.

The bell went off again, and Hermann sighed. He pressed a kiss to Newton’s temple. “Do find some trousers, would you?”

Newton whined and allowed Hermann to lean on the table before he ducked out from under his arms. He snatched his cane from where he had rattled it off of the table and onto the carpet and handed it to Hermann. Then he moved back to his dock, tugging open the compartment for clothes and finding another set of pants. Hermann smiled after him and made his way to the door. He tapped the console beside it to life to check the security footage from the front door below.

It was Tendo. He was in his work clothes and a warm coat, and he had a smug, eager smile on his face. Hermann checked the time in the bottom corner of the screen and sighed, pressing the call button. “Don’t you have work in less than two hours?”

He could see Tendo smile at the speaker. “ _Aw, come on, doc! I got plenty of time, I figured I’d come see you! I miss you, man._ ”

Hermann narrowed his eyes even though Tendo couldn’t see it. “You haven’t yet had a day at work to miss me by. I know exactly why you’re here.” Still, he pressed the button to allow him up. “Do try to behave?”

Tendo tugged open the door and grinned up at the camera. “ _Best behavior, I promise!_ ”

Hermann shut the screen off and groaned. He turned to Newton. “Would you mind answering the door when he gets up here? I need to change out of these pajamas.”

“Sure, yeah, I got it.” Newton still looked nervous, but he hid it behind a smile as usual. “You uh… You didn’t strike me as the type to share…”

Hermann blinked at Newton’s words. What did that mean? “Share?” He watched Newton tug his pants on carefully, and it slowly dawned on Hermann what Newton was trying to ask. Something sank in Hermann’s stomach as this came with a second realisation.

With previous clients, Newton may have been passed around. He thought that Tendo may have been coming up for his turn.

“Oh, _Newton_ …” Hermann leaned against the wall. “Don’t worry. I have no intentions of sharing you unless you will it. Tendo is a friend from work.” He groaned. “A _nosy_ friend from work. Just let him in and tell him I’ll be right out.”

Before he left, he made sure to watch the nerves deflate from Newton. Hermann turned away and walked to his room, a soft smile on his face. If Newton didn’t trust him fully before, perhaps he would now.

~

Tendo never knew why Hermann accepted an apartment on the third floor. He guessed the dual elevators made it easier, but that didn’t help things if there was a fire. He’d brought it up to Hermann when he got the place, but none of those things mattered to him. The walls were not thin, the other people in the building were polite, and the bus stop out front had a direct route to their workplace, even if Tendo insisted on driving them most of the time.

It was a nice place with good security. Tendo would give him that. He made it to Hermann’s door and knocked.

The door opened a few second later to someone who was not Hermann. “Hey! Tendo, right? Come on in.”

Tendo blinked after the stranger. “Uh, yeah.” He might have thought this man was Hermann’s bot if he wasn’t so personable. He was aware that Hermann had other friends as well, perhaps he was one of them. He followed the man’s lead and saw a Designer Date dock parked by a wall with the lid slid shut. Jesus, had Hermann even opened the thing yet?

“You want pancakes? I went a little hog wild this morning so we’ve got extras.” The man wandered into the kitchen and lifted a plate from the counter. “Might be a little cold now, but they’re still good. I’m Newton by the way. Call me Newt.”

“Nice to meet you. Sure I’ll take some pancakes.” Tendo walked to the kitchen area, and Newton handed him the plate. He watched Newton fiddle his fingers in thought before snapping them and pulling open the silverware drawer, handing him a fork.

“Syrup’s still on the table if you want it. Hermann’ll be out in a sec, he didn’t look enough like a university professor from the roaring 20s, so he wanted to change.” Newton snickered as he picked up the empty plates from the table.

Tendo snorted. “Have you got any idea how many cardigans and sweater vests he owns? His entire closet is an ode to stuffy academia.”

“Says the guy who clearly plays piano in a speakeasy?”

Tendo laughed as he cut a bite of pancakes. “Fair enough!”

~

Hermann opened his bedroom door once he was fully dressed and immediately heard the sound of laughter. Apparently Tendo and Newton were getting along. He exited the room with a smile in place and walked through the hall. “I see you’ve acquainted yourselves already.”

Tendo was grinning at him, but it wasn’t the smile he was expecting. He had expected a teasing one, or a mischievous one, but Tendo’s face was absent of any knowing stares. “Astute assessment, doc.” Newt snorted from where he was at the sink rinsing dishes.

“Doc, huh?” Newton mused as he dried the now clean dishes and set them on the drying rack.

Hermann went a bit pink and rolled his eyes. “We are not in a professional setting, Tendo, ‘Hermann’ is just fine. Concerning that, I would prefer when we are in such a place, you call me Dr. Gottlieb, as I have asked.”

Tendo gave him an amused giggle. “Whatever you say, doc.”

Hermann sighed and made his way to sit on the seat Newton had vacated earlier, feeling a bit confused. He was sure Tendo would have been nearly down Newton’s throat with questions by now.

Before he could open his mouth to tell him to go ahead and ask, Tendo had already begun speaking, not to Newton, but to Hermann. “So,” He started. “Please tell me that box has not been sitting there for a day and a half. Tell me you’ve let the poor thing out at least once.”

Hermann blinked at him. With a measure of pride, perhaps, and amazement, he realised that Tendo had no idea what Newton was. Not that he really blamed him. “Tendo, he’s been out.”

Tendo arched an eyebrow at him. “Where is he then? Did you leave him in your bedroom?”

Hermann eyes were wide as he gestured his arm at Newton. Newton was walking around the counter back to the dining area when he looked up at the two confused men. “Oh wait, are we talking about me?”

Tendo’s fork fell to his already nearly empty plate. “You’re fucking with me.”

“I assure you I am not,” Hermann promised.

Tendo stood so fast his chair began tipping over. He caught it and righted it before rounding the table. “How the fuck- How are you so-” He stopped a few feet from Newton to take him in. “Okay, I gotta get in there, this is blowing my damn mind. How are you- we were cracking jokes, man, you didn’t read bot at _all._ ”

Newton gave a worried look to Tendo and then to Hermann. Hermann sighed. “He’s a roboticist, Newton, he has a professional curiosity. It’s up to you.”

Newton pondered the promise for a bit. Then, with a sigh of his own, he pulled his shirt (and thankfully only his shirt) off. “Sure, check me out, but I’ve got boundaries.”

Tendo gave an awe-filled laugh and took another few steps to hurry behind Newton. He saw the lights by his shoulder blade and felt their edges with a grin. “Hey, he’s got one of our charge units! About time that place starting actually using the stock we sent them.”

Hermann had made his way over, perhaps as a moral support for Newton, and was leaning against the counter. “Do they usually not?”

“Nah, they usually have an SL213 unit, which is good for like ten hours but then they gotta go back to the dock.” Tendo wasn’t even looking at him as he roamed around Newton, lifting his arm and running his fingers along where a seam would be on any other bot.

Hermann scoffed at the mention of the unit. “What good would an SL213 be in this type of android? The entire point of them is personal relations, why give them a unit that only supplies them power until the afternoon?”

Tendo smirked and finally looked up at Hermann. “Because you’re the only one that wants him to get up and make you breakfast and spend time with you. Most people only activate them for the evening. Have you been courting him all day _and_ enjoying night time activities?”

Newton turned a sly, _precious_ smile at him, and it almost made Hermann forget about his indignity. “Oh no, he’s no casanova, he’s a cuddler,” Newton said. The embarrassment returned and turned Hermann red to his ears.

Tendo planted a hand over his heart. “Oh _Hermann,_ that’s so damn sweet it’s almost tragic.”

“Yes, yes, enough.” Hermann ducked his gaze, even though he could still feel Newton smiling at him.

Tendo went back to his study. He took a lap around to Newton’s front again and took his face in his hands, carefully like he was handling a vase. “Your optics are _insanely_ realistic. Good colour, too.”

“Uh, thanks?” Newton gave a nervous laugh. If Tendo was approaching those aforesaid boundaries, Newton wasn’t saying anything.

Tendo leaned Newton’s head from one side to the other, and then wandered around behind him again. “Near perfect skin replica, the freckles are an _amazing_ touch; Love the tats. You’re missing a lot of the seams most of the other bots have, is there a reason for that?”

“It’s a new trial tissue. Self repairing, cuts back on a lot of work back at DD for smaller nicks and such,” Newton answered.

“ _Self repair-_ Holy shit, you are some next level bot, Newt.” He rounded Newton again to get another view from the front. He glanced downward, chuckled, and turned to Hermann. “I’m not the buyer here man, but is he as realistic everywhere _else_ as he is up top?”

Hermann went a beet red tinge much to Tendo _and_ Newton’s amusement, and he glowered at them both. “H-He’s… perhaps the most anatomically accurate android I’ve had the privilege to view in his entirety.”

Tendo cracked up and arched back with laughter. “That is by far the most _unsexy_ way you could have possibly said that!”

Newton pulled his shirt back on and leaned back on the counter. “I dunno, dude, I’m of the persuasion that he could read from the dictionary and it’d be sexy.”

Tendo pulled a grin that threatened the split his face. “ _Damn_ , doc!”

Hermann covered his face with one hand and bit his lip to keep the smile in. He did not need this in front of Tendo. He was never going to hear the end of it at work now. Though, perhaps Tendo wouldn’t be so callous if Hermann was as upset at Newton’s departure as he assumed he would be. Tendo teased, but it was never with malice.

Hermann’s embarrassment seemed to be enough for Tendo, and he turned back to Newton. “So you are, clearly, a brand new model; I have _never_ seen anything like you before. How many times have you been out?”

“About five before this if we’re talking customers,” Newton answered.

Tendo looked a bit shocked. “That’s _it?_ Are you in beta or something?”

This gave Newton pause. Hermann studied his face as he watched a series of subtle emotions scurry over his brow, the loudest of which being something like fear before he spoke again. “Yeah. I’m a beta model.”

Tendo turned to Hermann. “Think they sent you Newt so you could test him for bugs?”

Hermann regarded Tendo with an exhausted look. “Would you please not speak like he’s not in the room? Honestly.” He sighed and turned to Newton. “I didn’t know you were a beta model,” He turned back to Tendo, “I’ve been trying to enjoy my vacation, and being expected to test my companion for bugs sounds suspiciously like work.”

“Gotcha covered, doc,” Tendo said before Newton could respond. “Newton, execute protocol H17.2 and run system diagnostic.”

The fear ripped its way across Newton’s face-

And then it was gone. It was all gone. The light Hermann had hardly noticed was always in his eyes had been snuffed out. His brow leveled, eyes half lidded, and his horrible posture disappear in favour of a straightened spine and perfectly placed footing. He stared at nothing. Everything that was Newton had disappeared. Hermann’s chest clenched as if he’d just watched someone die.

“ **System diagnostic: Android unit ‘Holiday’ class C, model 377.**

“ **Last diagnostic: 2086, March 3rd.** ”

Newton’s voice was there, but it sounded empty and tinny, like his voice was coming from a television- mostly there, but still noticeably disconnected. Hermann never let his eyes leave Newton’s face.

“More than a month ago?” Tendo walked away and dragged a chair over, parking it in front of Newton and sitting down. “That’s a while for something in beta. Date of first activation?”

“ **2086, February 24th.** ”

Tendo leaned back. “Whoa. That’s weird.”

Hermann tore his eyes from Newton to look at Tendo. “What is?”

“His last diagnostic was a week after his first activation, which is pretty standard for repeat units, but not for something in beta.” Tendo leaned forward again and rubbed his chin. “Beta units should get a diagnostic every couple of days.”

Hermann huffed and turned back to Newton, aching for that light to return. “Mr. Choi, if you would hurry this along, I don’t like seeing him this way.”

Tendo made a sound like he was about to retort, but Hermann met his gaze with one of warning. Tendo sat back again. Then he returned his attention to Newton. “Last software update.”

“ **2086, March 17th.** ”

“CPU functionality.”

“ **100%.** ”

“Memory functionality.”

“ **100%.** ”

“Hardware functionality.”

“ **100%.** ”

“AI model and unit integration percentage.”

“ **Geiszler model: N.  Unit integration 100%.** ”

Tendo’s brow furrowed. “…N? That’s not even a complete model number.”

“ _Mr. Choi-_ ”

“Sorry, sorry.” Tendo sat back. “Finish system diagnostic.”

“ **Run defrag?** ”

“No.”

“ **Run virus scan?** ”

“No.”

“ **Reboot AI Geiszler model: N?** ”

“Yes.”

As soon as Tendo uttered the word, Newton’s eyes fluttered closed. They snapped open a second later as Newton threw himself backward into the counter, gasping for air as if he’d just been held underwater. Hermann moved for him and caught his arm to steady him, and Tendo stood in shock, speechless and unsure what to do. Newton gulped air like he needed it, and his eyes were wide and wild- but at least they were alive again. They watered as Newton refused to meet Tendo’s stare again, and he swallowed thickly. “C-could-… Could you not do that again, p-… please?”

Hermann wrapped an arm around his shoulders, wanting to ask him if he was all right, but if the diagnostic told him anything, Newton was fine. At least, he was fine in a physical sense. Hermann turned to Tendo with a stern look. “I think you might be late for work, Mr. Choi. Shouldn’t you be on your way?”

Tendo couldn’t stop staring. That was _not_ how a bot should have reacted to a diagnostics check. “Uh… Yeah.” He leaned a bit to try and catch Newton’s wet eyes. “Sorry about that, brother, I didn’t-… I didn’t think. It’s just what I do, ya know, it’s my job. Run diagnostics, check machine functionality-”

“It’s fine,” Newton said with finality.

Tendo flinched again. He shot Hermann a worried look. “Hey, I’ll call you later okay? Sorry to intrude.” He backed away from them and picked up his plate, walking it to the sink (he knew Hermann would accept no less). He gave them a salute and walked to the door. “Amazing to meet you, Newt.”

Newton said nothing. Tendo left. Hermann came around Newton and caught his face in his hands. “Newton-… _Newt_ , look at me.” He didn’t speak again until Newton slowly complied. One tear, presumably saline, cascaded down his stunned, terrified face. “Are you all right, darling?”

Newt trembled once. He reached up and rubbed fiercely at his eyes before taking a deep, mind clearing breath. “Yeah, I-… Yeah. I’m fine.” Hermann stared incredulously. Newton nursed his bottom lip. “Okay, I’ll _be_ fine, I’m just… I’m not used to that. Diagnostics.” He shivered. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was in beta.”

Hermann scoffed and pulled Newton against his chest. “No, Newt, you need not apologise for anything. Beta or not, I would not have you any other way.” He pulled away and rubbed his arms. “Would you like to get ready for the day? Or do you need a moment?”

Newton stared into his eyes and looked guilty. He dropped his gaze and took a short breath. “Would you-… Would you mind if we stayed in today…?” He wouldn’t look back up, as if he was ashamed. “I know you wanted to go to the aquarium, but I’m really not-…” He stopped and shut his eyes. “It’s stupid. I’m sorry. We can still go, I’ll get my boots.” He moved to walk away.

Hermann caught his arm. “Newton,” He said, not pulling him back but pulling himself toward Newton. “We can absolutely stay in today. The aquarium trip was planned for you, not me. We will go when you’re feeling up to it.”

Newton turned back to him, sheepishly. “You sure that’s okay?”

Hermann beamed at him. “You’re giving me an excuse to curl up in bed with you and not think about what’s outside. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Mr. Geiszler, but I am a bit of a social recluse. You are doing nothing but enabling me.”

A laugh finally returned to Newton, and Hermann sighed in relief. Newton lifted his chin. “I am known to be an enabler.” He reached up and tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Are you going to get back into those matching PJs or are you trying to nap in a belt?”

Hermann went pink and ducked his head. “…Actually, I was thinking I would… lie in my undergarments. I’ve never slept as such, but I imagine it’s very freeing.”

“Ooh, not nearly as freeing as sleeping naked.” Newton shifted closer, his nerves finally settling aside somewhere instead of front and centre. “Maybe we could try that some time.”

Hermann hummed thoughtfully, still bright with blush but feeling calmer. “Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.”

They made their way back to the bedroom, losing articles of clothing along the way (which Hermann folded and placed diligently on the nearby dresser), and they crawled back into bed. Hermann muted his phone and activated a ‘do not disturb’ setting to his front door. He set his phone on the bedside table and promptly forgot about it in favour of wrapping his thin arms around Newton and pressing a deep, comforting kiss to his lips. Their limbs tangled, barely any fabric between them, and Hermann felt like he was exactly where he needed to be today.

On the table, his phone lit soundlessly with another apology from Tendo. It also lit with a weather update, and traffic. It told him what his usual commute would be like, less traffic than usual. He was blissfully unaware of all of them. Newton’s hands were hot, and his lips were soft. Hermann wasn’t planning on moving from this spot for quite a few hours.

He would check that text, those alerts, and that email notification from the Designer Date service when he wasn’t busy getting lost in Newton’s eyes and swimming in that giddy laughter.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot isn't the only thing thickening am I right ehehe eheh I'll see myself out


	4. Day 3

Newton turned into a child as soon as they arrived at the aquarium. He paid their way in and then immediately ran to the nearest touch pool to get as hands-on with the wildlife as he could. “Hermann, come look at this!” He ran his hands over the shell of a horseshoe crab as carefully as he could. “Look at his little ridges! Can you believe that this is as close to touching a live version of a fossil as we’re gonna get? How fucking badass is this!”

Hermann leaned on the edge of the pool but didn’t reach in. “Do you know much about them?”

“Sure do! I read about them. I mean kinda. I… existed in a computer with access to the information.” Newton’s voice dropped toward the end of his statement.

Hermann decided not to bring it up. “Can you tell me about them?”

Newt lifted his head up and lit the room with his smile. Then he opened his mouth and did not stop talking. He went on and on about the life of a horseshoe crab, how long they live, what they’re mating cycles are like, the fact that their blood is blue and rich in copper, and even that the blood is used for testing medical equipment and has possibly saved millions of lives.

Then he moved on to the stingrays also in the tank. He caught Hermann’s hand in his and rolled his sleeve up, tugging him down and dipping his hand into the water. Hermann’s fingers grazed carefully along the slick back of the ray, but his cheeks were pink because the heat of Newton’s hand was still on him. If Newton was saying facts about stingrays, Hermann was barely hearing them. All he wanted to focus on was that happy smile, the heat of Newton’s body, and that bright light in Newton’s eyes.

Eventually they moved on. A lot of the aquarium was indoors, with walls made of the habitats surrounding them, or massive, circular tanks taking up a large portion of the room. Newton took the time at each display to name each fish he could identify. He nearly plastered himself against the glass of the tank belonging to a giant octopus, red-orange in colour and drifting her way to the other side of her enclosure. “Oh, she’s so beautiful… Look at her go, Herms.”

Hermann had hummed in agreement of whatever this positive sentiment was. When Newton finally peeled himself away from the glass, Hermann tentatively brushed his pinky against Newt’s hand.

Newton’s eyes were wide when they found Hermann’s. The smile that spread on his face was filled with as much glee as it held for the creatures in the aquarium. He glanced down and turned his hand outward, not hesitating remotely to run it down Hermann’s nervous palm and lace their fingers together. He looked back up with a pleased grin and leaned up to press a kiss to Hermann’s lips. “Come on, let’s keep going. I wanna know what a shark tunnel is.”

Hermann squeezed his hand with a soft sigh. The warmth from that hand spread through him, and he barely noticed how chilly he was anymore.

Newton continued raving about the fish they passed, and he spent a few minutes at the tank of a basket starfish trying to see if he could find where it ended and the habitat began. He called it a sentient fractal, which got a giggle out of Hermann.

When they reached the shark tunnel, there was no stopping Newton’s awe. Hermann let his hand go as Newton hurried forward to take it all in. It was effectively a hallway, carving a twisting path beneath a massive tank of sharks and stingrays and fish happily swimming about above their heads. The hallway walls from the knees and higher were solid and clear, and rose into an arch over the path, giving the attendees a complete view of all of the life around them.

Newton ran ahead a few meters, walking sideways and then backwards and sideways again as he spun, trying his best to take it all in at once. He was silent, likely stunned, and he looked straight above him as a hammerhead shark swam over the glass. He lifted his hands and covered his mouth. “H-…Hermann, look at them all.” He spun slowly again, following the path of one shark and then another, and then a large ray. Then he sat on the floor and laid down.

Hermann made an indignant noise. “Newton! Get up from there, that floor must be filthy!”

Newton laughed. “Yeah, probably!” And yet, he stayed there, prone on the carpeted floor. He stared up at the fish and sharks above with eyes full of wonder and something else that was decidedly sad.

Hermann gave a sigh when it became clear that Newton wasn’t going to get up. He glanced down each end of the hall and found them barren of people. The aquarium wasn’t very busy, as was the usual for early April. Spring break was over and done with, and it was early in the week, so most people were working. Hermann always took his vacations when most others did not, if only for the solitude outside, and this quiet aquarium was no exception.

He supposed it couldn’t hurt.

Hermann braced himself on his cane and slowly lowered himself to the floor. He was lying opposite of Newton, head directly next to his, before Newton could so much as advise him against the move. Newton had turned his head sideways to regard Hermann with shock, but he let it morph into amusement. “What happened to ‘that floor must be filthy’?” He asked, teasingly.

Hermann chuckled. “Well I can’t very well see things from your perspective from way up there, can I?”

Newton snorted. “Pretty sure all perspectives that aren’t mine could be defined as ‘way up there’.”

Hermann’s laugh was full now, and Newton’s joined in. It settled slowly into a calm silence, and Hermann finally let his eyes focus on what was above them. From this angle, he couldn’t see the short walls before they gave way to glass. If he let go of his grip on reality, just a little bit, he felt like he was resting upon the bed of the sea. There was nothing but peace above, subtle currents brought about by large creatures making their way through the waters. Hermann took in a slow breath and let it out in a sigh.

“Do you think they miss it?” Newton asked suddenly.

Hermann turned his head just enough to glance at him. “Miss what?”

“The sea. Like the real thing.” Newton’s gaze never left the tank above. “They’re all swimming up there, in a tiny, fake ocean. You think they have enough sense to miss the real thing?”

What a strange, existential question. Newton seemed to be full of those. Hermann hummed in thought. “I don’t believe they know the difference. This place goes to great lengths to mimic their habitat as close as possible, and to keep them fed and healthy.”

“So they’re here, living false existences, swimming away like they’re living the life, but they’re just around for people’s entertainment.” Newton’s tone was growing dark. “If they could be free in the sea, the real sea, do you think they’d ever want to come back?”

Hermann faced the tank. “…Newton, this aquarium is a conservative force. If the creatures are here, it’s a high chance they would not survive the sea. Many would perish the moment they were set free. The purpose of this place is to care for sick or injured sea creatures. If, when as healthy as they can be, they would not survive in the sea, they’re kept here, comfortable, for the remainder of their lives. If they could survive in the sea, they are released. This place takes care of them until they’re ready.” Hermann turned back to Newton with a soft smile on his lips. “I’m afraid that’s where your analogy falls apart, darling.”

Newton creased his brow. “What analogy?”

Hermann pressed a kiss just near Newton’s ear. “For your life.”

Newton stilled. He pressed his lips together and said nothing else for a while. He finally turned his head and kissed Hermann’s nose. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Shut up and watch the fish, Hermann.”

Hermann chuckled again and turned back to the fish as asked. They laid in silence now, and Hermann wondered if Newton would take what he said into consideration. It unnerved Hermann how quickly Newton was willing to squash Hermann’s beliefs that Newton had free will, and yet moments like this still happened. These moments hinted. They _promised._

His reverie was interrupted when he heard footsteps approaching and then slowing down. He snorted and covered his face as another patron had been strolling through the hall and happened upon them. She glanced down at them in clear confusion, and Hermann might have apologised if Newton hadn’t spoken up first.

“Don’t mind us! Just two grown-ass men lying on the floor enjoying some sharks.” He said, not bothered by the intrusion at all.

The woman laughed and continued on her way. Hermann laughed as well.

Finally Newton sat up. “All right, for the sake of your dignity, we’d better get up.” He bounced to his feet easily and was next to Hermann by the time he sat up, ever the gentleman. “Need a hand?”

Hermann nodded gratefully. “Oh, yes please.”

Newton dipped down and once again lifted Hermann up from the floor with no effort at all. He held Hermann against him at the waist, waiting for Hermann to get used to his feet again before putting his entire weight back down. Newton grinned up at him. “You gotta stop getting on the floor for me, man.”

Hermann went pink and didn’t pull away. “Stop making it so appealing.”

If Newton could have blushed, perhaps he may have then. Instead, he smiled and dropped his gaze, laughing into Hermann’s shoulder. “You talking dirty to me, Hermann?” He leaned back up and took Hermann’s lips with his own again, moving one hand behind his neck and thumbing behind the lobe of his ear. After a few soft seconds, he pulled away an inch. “Hang onto that thought until we get home, hm?”

Hermann’s eyes crinkled in the corners with his smile as that sentence settled. Home. Newton had called it his own. It was likely a slip of the tongue, even though robots weren’t supposed to have those. Hermann kissed him again. “We’re going to miss the turtles.”

Newton snickered. “They’re not going anywhere real fast,” He mouthed against Hermann’s lips. “We’ve got time.”

Hermann wordlessly, passionately agreed.

~

Hermann fell asleep in the cab ride home as well. He’d taken another pain pill before the drive (any extensive walking throughout the day required he take a second in the afternoon), and as soon as it began to kick in, he’d drifted off, nestled into Newton’s shoulder. Before he found deeper sleep, he felt Newton angle himself so that Hermann’s head was against his chest, and he’d curled his arms around Hermann’s shoulders. Once he was tucked in that warm hold, he didn’t even try to fight off the sleep.

He woke up to the soft nudging of Newton’s knuckles along his neck. He groaned, groggy, and slowly sat up. “Mmph…” He pressed his fingers to his eyes and inhaled deeply. “My apologies, Newton. I’m not used to so much activity.” The cab was still moving, and Hermann didn’t recognise the street. “Are we almost home?”

Newton gave him a mischievous smile. “Not quite yet.”

“We’re here,” Said the driver as he pulled the vehicle off to the side of the road.

Hermann still had no idea where they were. Newton paid the man and thanked him, and opened the door, helping Hermann out of the car. Hermann watched the cab drive off, and he turned with a narrow stare back at Newton. “Where are we? I told that man to take us home.”

Newt was beaming. “Aaand I told him to forget that and take us somewhere else.” He took Hermann’s hand with his. “Close to home, but not quite there. Guess what I found?” He tugged that hand and walked down the sidewalk.

Hermann limped after him, still a little sleep-heavy, but able to keep up with Newton’s purposefully slow gait. “I have no idea, Newton,” He said, trying to sound annoyed, but his smile gave him away. “What have you found?”

Newton said nothing and took them around the corner. Another door down, and Hermann realised where they were going. “Ta-dah!” Newton gestured wide armed at the building behind him.

Newton had found an Indian restaurant. The sign, reading simply ‘TAJ’ shone bright gold above him in the setting sunlight. The decor on the outside brought Hermann back to a simple time in chilly England, and he covered his mouth. “Oh, Newton…”

“And it’s only thirty minutes away from home!” Newton was grinning from ear to ear. “The next closest is like, two hours away, but this one is basically a trip down the highway. I know you don’t drive, but maybe you could convince Tendo-mmph!”

Hermann had interrupted him the only way he thought would be effective, kissing him deeply and holding desperately to the back of his head. He pulled away. “You do not have to quantify this. It’s perfect, Newton. Thank you.”

Newton’s smile in return was pleased. “No problem.” He hooked his arm through Hermann’s. “Shall we?”

They entered the building and were sat quickly in a booth beneath an ornate painting with an equally ornate, carved, wooden frame. Newton sat on one side, and this time Hermann sat on the opposite, so he could look at him. They were handed menus, poured some water, and then left alone.

The restaurant wasn’t packed or busy by any sense, but there were plenty of people around that the room wasn’t quiet. Conversations filled the air and made the place feel welcoming. Hermann opened the menu for about three seconds, found his usual, and shut it again with a smile.

Newton was still taking in the options. “Holy shit dude, I am gonna need you to help me out with this.” He laughed. “I haven’t tried anything like this.”

“Well what have you eaten before that you enjoyed? Perhaps I could suggest to you something similar.”

Newton thought about it. “Well I had that turkey sandwich on Sunday. That was good. And the Chinese food you called in yesterday was _fantastic_. Uh… And pancakes are good. Which I totally thought of a new recipe for those using apples, by the way.”

Hermann slowly frowned over the course of Newton’s words. “…Newton, those are all things you’ve eaten with me.”

Newton blinked and nodded. “Yeah. I mean I had a bite of steak once, but that was my first time out, and it’s the only other thing I’ve eaten.”

Hermann reached across the table and grabbed Newton’s hand before he could think. His concern must have been plain on his face, because Newton laughed.

“Easy Herms, I know you’re about to go scalp my last buyers, but I don’t need to eat.” He squeezed Hermann’s hand. “I come with replacement fluids if I need it, but food is unnecessary. I’m lucky I can even taste it.”

Hermann pressed his lips tightly together. He still scowled at nobody. “You should have had the chance to know more.”

Newton’s smile grew sad. “Feeding me humanises me. Most people don’t do it. You are the extreme exception.” His fingers brushed over Hermann’s knuckles. “…The outlier.”

An outlier. Newton thought that how Hermann was treating him was a statistic that didn’t matter against the rest of the data he’d been given. “Newton, you’ve been given only five other points of data before this. To discredit data you have not yet found and count me out against the rest is how you get biased research that fools will take as fact.”

Newton’s stare grew hard, but his hand was still gentle. “Oh, so you’re telling me my data pool is too small?”

“I am.”

Newt arched a brow at him and squared his shoulders. “Okay, well how about the state that the rest of the bots come back in, then? What about the ones that are rented for three hours and come back with the DNA of four different men in them? And the fact that that happens every. Single. Day. It’s in the logs of hundreds of the bots that go out, potentially all of them, even me.” Newton tilted his head. “That enough data, you think?”

Something twisted in Hermann’s gut. “Newton, far be it from me to ever advocate the mistreatment of AI- _any_ AI- but you are different. If Tendo’s reaction to you says anything, it’s that something like you has never existed before. You’re going to surprise more people, and more eyes will be opened.”

“How do you know that?” Newton was growing incredulous. “You can’t even count yourself as a data point there, because you’re not somebody who’s eyes even needed to be opened. You named a fucking servo for Christ’s sake. You already think of AI as people.”

“Because they _are_.” Hermann shifted his arm and took Newton’s hand in both of his. “Because _you_ are.” He took a breath. “Your data is not proof of how I should just put aside what I believe, that I’m some rambling fool without any evidence. All your data is proving is that the system is doing you and your kind a _grave_ disservice. They feel that, since they created you, you do not have the ability to think for yourself, when you were clearly created to have such a thing!”

“Enough!” Newton finally yanked his hand away from Hermann. He looked frustrated and confused. “Shut _up_ and stop making this so hard!”

Hermann flinched. There were tears in Newton’s eyes, held in by the thinnest dam of willpower on Newton’s part, he was sure. “…Newton-”

Newton held up his hand and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to taste his words before they came out. “I am trying to make this easier for you. Okay, because at the end of the week, I have to go. I have to _leave_ and go back to that non-existence, and it’s not gonna affect me one bit. Ya know why? Because I am a machine.” He kept his voice low. “This is my job. This is my programming. I’m programmed with the ability to make decisions and read as human as possible for people like you who want a personal experience. Your application was perfect for this beta, because everybody else says exactly what they want to do to the bots they receive, and then there was you. A quiet genius learning about himself who wanted a date. A solid week with no plans and no expectations. You were the perfect candidate.” He took a slow shaky breath. “And honestly, if this is what you think the common reaction is gonna be to bots like me, they’re probably gonna discontinue the official launch.”

Hermann’s words were stuck in his throat. He didn’t even think about anything like that. But he also didn’t believe any of what Newton was saying was true. At least, he didn’t want to believe it. There was too much in Newton, too many tears, too many worries, to many opinions for it all to have been programmed like this. “…Newton. Am I, or am I not, attractive?”

The question threw Newton off. His frustration dissolved into something like grief. “You _are._ ”

“But that opinion is just programming.” Hermann stared expectantly. Newton ducked his head and didn’t respond. Hermann sighed and pushed Newton’s menu to him. “You might try the Chicken tikka masala. Get some naan bread as well. Everything comes with rice.”

When their meals came, they were eaten in silence. Newton had taken Hermann’s suggestion, but if he enjoyed the food, he wasn’t letting it show. Hermann’s korma was delicious, but it wasn’t as happy a memory now with Newton upset before him. He couldn’t focus on the good.

Newton spent the whole time not looking Hermann in the eyes again, alternating between staring at his food and glancing past Hermann’s shoulder. Was he looking at the door? Did Newton want to leave?

Had he really upset him so much? “…Newton? Are you all right?”

Newton blinked at him. “What? Oh, I-” He cleared his throat and looked down at his food. “I’m fine.”

Hermann narrowed his eyes at him and leaned forward. “Do you want to go home?”

Newton sighed. “No, I want you to enjoy this meal.”

“I cannot enjoy it while you’re upset.”

“I’m not upset.”

“You’re an awful liar, Mr. Geiszler.”

Newt set his fork down and finally met Hermann’s eyes. “Hermann, I’m fine. I am _fine_. It’s not a lie. I will be more fine when you’re smiling again, and we can get you there when you stop worrying about me. Okay? I’ve got me. I don’t need any help.” He lifted his fork and leaned forward, stealing a bit of Hermann’s chicken korma. “What you’re already doing is enough. I swear it’s enough.”

Hermann closed his eyes. Newton wasn’t going to budge. He supposed he should have expected it; Newton had been pretty headstrong from the get-go. He wouldn’t let Newton get away with avoiding this talk forever, but he would let it slide for now. “Allowing you to steal my food, you mean?” He asked, face one of irritation, but eyes now full of amusement.

Newton blinked, and that same amusement slowly crept onto his face as he ate the bite of food he stole. “Being that this shit is delicious, yeah. Yeah, that’s something.” He managed a smile again. It seemed sad, in a strange way, but it was still beautiful.

Hermann took another bite of chicken onto his fork and held it out to Newton. “Then allow me to continue trying to be enough.”

The smile brightened. Newton leaned forward and took the bite into his mouth. The remainder of the meal was quiet again, but now it was full of occasional locked eyes and wistful or teasing stares. It felt like they were on a date again. Hermann let himself feel a little more at ease.

Even if Newton’s eyes still flickered past Hermann’s shoulder every other minute.

Newton paid for the meal when they were done and left a generous tip (that seemed to be the theme of the entire week). He stood first and helped Hermann out of his side of the booth. Hermann didn’t let go of his hand once he was upright, and Newton wrinkled his nose at him in a smile, leading him out.

“Nice tats,” Came a sudden compliment from a booth on their way to the door. Hermann glanced at the source and found that it was a tall, intimidating man in a loud suit and strange sunglasses. He hadn’t even been looking at them when he spoke, simply sipping an Indian spiced tea and staring straight ahead with a smirk.

Hermann thought the man was odd, but at least he had good things to say. Newton was definitely the type to draw attention with the way he looked, and his buttoned shirt was undone enough at the top that the tattoos across his chest were plainly visible. Hermann felt a bubble of annoyance build at the stranger, so callous to comment when Newton was clearly with somebody, but he squashed it when Newton blew it off. “Hey, thanks man.” He angled Hermann toward the door and out.

Hermann scoffed back at the door once they were out of sight of the man. “The nerve of him.”

“Yeah, one letter away from a catcall for sure.” Newton smirked at him. “Still better than other things that have been said to me, trust me.”

They walked back around the corner in pleasant silence. Newton’s hand was warm in his own, and somehow the sting of the fight was sitting well in Hermann’s chest. The fact that there was a fight at all meant Newton was feeling more than he was letting on. He had even said he was arguing for Hermann’s sake, so on some level, he cared. Hermann was willing to put this down as a win. No matter how short lived their false relationship was.

Newton skidded to a stop suddenly and patted his pocket. Then the other. He sighed. “Wow. Top notch programming, and I leave my damn wallet at the table.”

Hermann chuckled at him. “I didn’t know they made a program for ‘scatterbrained’.”

Newton gasped at Hermann in mock-indignity. “I _never_.” He tugged him into a quick kiss. “Wait here, asshole. Call a cab home, I’ll be right back, okay?”

Hermann grinned after him as he walked away. Newton carried himself like a man with both several missions that all needed to be completed at once, and the belief that he could accomplish them. It was an attractive trait, and it only added to what Hermann already saw in him. With a longing sigh, he pulled out his phone to call the cab.

But he became distracted by the number of missed messages, calls, and emails he’d been receiving while the phone was muted in his pocket. He rolled his eyes. “Oh for god’s sake. Nobody wants anything to do with me, and then I go on vacation, and I’m the bloody queen of England…”

He looked at the missed calls. Two were Tendo, and he left a voicemail as well. There was one call from his work, but there was a chance that was also Tendo. Two numbers were unidentified, but they had the same long distance area code. Perhaps they were scam calls. Either way, neither left a voicemail.

He switched to those voicemails and pulled his phone to his ear to listen.

“ **You have 1 unheard message. First unheard message on April 9th at 12:17pm.** ”

“ ** _Heeey, Hermann. Uh, I’m sure you’re busy ignoring me, and I get it, I crossed a line yesterday and I’m sorry. Yeah I just wanted to check on you and make sure you didn’t actually hate me? And also maybe ask if you and Newt wanted to go to dinner sometime this week. My treat. …Uh, anyway, hope you’re enjoying yourself, doc. Call me._** ”

“ **No more messages.** ”

Hermann huffed and closed out of his voicemail. He brought up Tendo’s string of texts and snorted. There were seven spaced across Tendo’s breaks the last two work days.

**hope you’re having a good vacation**

**I’m sorry again by the way**

**just in case you didn’t get my voicemail: we should do dinner**

**if Newt’s cool with that**

**he’s a cool guy**

**are you just incredibly angry at me or incredibly busy?**

**heard doc, sorry to bother you**

Hermann gave a laugh and shook his head, sending a text back. **I’m not upset with you Tendo, my phone was muted. I am trying to enjoy my vacation after all. My apologies if I made you think otherwise. I will discuss the prospect of dinner with Newton later tonight.**

He sent the text and set to work on the rest of his messages. He was receiving emails from work still, which was why he had muted his phone at the start of his vacation to begin with. Those he could put off reading until later.

The email from Designer Date is the one he was curious about. He glanced around the corner, idly wondering what was taking Newton so long, and sighed. He opened the email.

**Dear mister Gottlieb,**

**We thank you again for your purchase of one (1) week with our product! Our records show that you ran a diagnostics check on your android today at 9:23 a.m. this morning. We express our immediate apologies for any technical difficulties you may be experiencing, and we are reviewing the data from the test. As soon as we detect the reason for your concern, we will be in contact with you.**

**If you have any questions, please direct your inquiries to ddhelpdesk@designerlife.com, and we will reply by first come, first serve basis. You can expect a response within forty-eight (48) hours.**

**Designer Date™ thanks you once more for your patronage and wishes you a pleasant and perfect remainder of your week.**

**Best Regards,**

**Michael Hackett**  
**Head of Programming, Designer Date LLC.**  
**(212)664-7665**  
**mdhackett@designerlife.com**

**April 8th, 2086**

Hermann cursed under his breath. “Damn you, Tendo…” He mumbled, selecting the programmer’s email and opening a new draft. Checking the data was unnecessary; he was having absolutely no issue with Newton at all, other than the fact that he had no choice but to be enslaved by these people. But an email with that sentiment may get Newton removed from his home early. That wouldn’t do either.

Before he could even type the greeting, a hand came up from behind him and closed over his mouth, yanking him backward. His cane clattered to the ground. His phone flew from his grasp, and he heard it shatter on the concrete as he was dragged into the dark alley between the buildings.

Once he was in the dark, he was shoved hard against the brick wall, a hand fisting the fabric of his coat, and a gun was held to his head. “Wallet!” The assailant barked, a hushed, harsh, raspy whisper against the quiet hum of the evening.

Hermann was terrified. He fumbled with his coat pocket and weakly pulled his wallet out, handing it to the man as quickly as possible. “P-…Please take it and go. _Please._ ” He hoped now that Newton took just a bit longer. Long enough that he didn’t have to worry about this man.

The man pulled the hand from Hermann’s collar and snatched the wallet from him, gun now pressed to Hermann’s throat. He flipped it open and pulled the pocket apart to check its contents. “The hell’s the cash, man?”

“I do not carry cash.” And it was true. The twenty from the night at the coffee shop had been the only cash he had, and since Newton had insisted that he would pay for today, Hermann hadn’t bothered to replenish it. “Please, take the card, I’ll give you the pin-”

“ _Hermann!_ ” Newton’s voice rang through the alley, and Hermann’s heart dropped into his stomach. He turned in time to see Newton running directly at them.

Before he could yell at him to stay back, the gun was yanked away from his throat in a panic and pointed at Newton.

One shot fired. Newton’s head snapped back, and he skid to the ground on his back, legs at unnatural angles. Still. Unmoving.

“ _Newton!_ ” Hermann tried to run to him, but the man slammed his fist into his chest and pinned him into the wall.

“Don’t you move!” The man shouted, sounding winded and nervous now, but Hermann didn’t see his face. He was too busy staring at Newton’s prone form.

The man growled and grabbed his face, forcing him to stare back at his frustrated, now terrified expression. “Look at me!” He shouted, replacing his fist at his chest. “Now we’re gonna go to the ATM up the street, and you’re gonna withdraw all the money you got, you hear me!?”

Hermann was trembling. But he knew it was no longer fear in his own eyes. It was wrath. “The daily withdrawal limit for ATMs is $400. You-… You just killed a man for $400!”

“I don’t give a shit!”

“I won’t do it.”

The gun leveled at his head. “I got a gun-”

“I do not care.” The tears were burning in Hermann’s eyes. “Take my wallet _and_ my life if that’s how you want to live.” The assailant had already shot Newton. Hermann knew he would be dead now whether or not he cooperated.

The man stared at him. Hermann could feel the gun shaking against his forehead. It was clear he _hadn’t_ planned on shooting Newton, he’d simply panicked, and now Hermann was putting him on the spot. He watched the man’s Adam’s apple rise and fall, and a look of resolve fell over his face. The gun steadied.

When the shot rang out, Hermann was initially surprised he had the awareness left to hear it, but he realised after another second of awareness he shouldn’t have had that the gun had misfired. Or rather, it had been unable to fire.

Newton was standing and gripping the barrel of the gun so hard, the metal had warped, and the bullet went nowhere. The man was shocked. Newton was _furious._ “That fucking hurt, dude.”

The man cried out, and Newton yanked the gun away from him, bending the barrel at the middle and ripping the stock from the bottom. The stranger stumbled away from him. “What the hell are you!?”

“Uh, pissed off is what I am. Now I can keep being pissed off at you, and we can see what my fist does to your _face,_ ” He punched the brick wall, and the brick crumbled beneath it, “Or you get the hell outta here and think about that brick every time you go to rob anybody else.”

He chucked the ruined gun at the man, who yelped and booked it out the other end of the alleyway.

Hermann barely let Newton turn back to him before throwing his arms around him. “ _Newt,_ ” He gasped, his voice and breath gone. The damn broke, and the tears fell. There was no stopping them. Hermann didn’t even try.

Newt caught him and held him up when Hermann’s legs wanted to fail him. “I gotcha, Herms. I gotcha, I’m right here.” He wrapped his arms around him and held tightly. “Sorry I took so long, the damn thing fell on the floor-”

“I thought I’d lost you…!” Hermann couldn’t stop those words from tumbling out of his mouth either.

Newton went still in his arms. The hold around Hermann tightened, and he felt Newton bury his face into his shoulder. There was a dampness that bled through his shirt, but he ignored it in favour of curling his hand behind Newton’s head. Newton inhaled a shaky breath.

“...Thought I lost you, too.”

~

Hermann wanted only for a bath when they returned home. Newton stayed by him the whole time as soon as they exited the cab, opening doors and rushing right back to his side. He held his free arm, even though he had his cane back and didn’t need the assist. Newton beat him to the bathroom and helped him into the chair by the sink. “Need me to get you any meds? Do you need another pain pill?”

“No, no, I’m fine.” He reached up and stroked Newton’s cheek. “The sooner I’m in the bath, the better.” Hermann nursed his bottom lip. To the right of Newton’s left temple, there was a patch of his synthetic flesh missing from where the bullet had struck him.

Newton caught him staring at it and lifted his hands over Hermann’s. “Stop it. I’m fine.”

“ _How_ are you-”

“Carbon fiber. Bit a kevlar. Shape-memory alloy pushes everything right back to where it needs to be. Skin’s gonna self-repair in a few hours. I’m golden, dude.” Newton smiled at him and pressed a kiss to Hermann’s forehead, where less than an hour earlier, a gun had been leveled. He left the kiss there for a few seconds, as if he was making sure the sensation had completely overridden the pressure of the gun.

Hermann let himself be selfish, and didn’t let on that it had achieved that purpose the moment his lips had landed there. He lifted his other hand behind Newton’s head and held him carefully, trembling, afraid to let go.

Newton smiled against his forehead and pulled back, but he chuckled when Hermann’s hands didn’t let him go far. “You okay there, Herms?”

“I am, I’m simply-” Hermann’s smile was there, but it was shaky. “…Returning to home base.” He hoped Newton would understand.

As Newton’s face softened, it appeared that he did. He gave a breathless laugh and cupped Hermann’s face, stroking his cheekbones. “…Then let me take care of you.”

Newton let go and pulled away, shuffling off his jacket and shoes. He sat on the tub edge and turned the water on, holding his hand under the cascade until he felt that it was right. The he returned to Hermann and knelt before him. He untied Hermann’s shoes and slid them off of his aching feet, following them with his socks. He stood up and helped Hermann out of his coat and shirt. He made sure to hang them carefully behind Hermann on the chair. Barely three days, and Newton already knew exactly what to do to make sure Hermann didn’t fuss. Hermann could barely focus on his exposed body.

Newton helped him to his feet, slowly and carefully, and kissed below his jaw, letting Hermann’s arms curl around his neck to brace himself. He then rested his forehead on Hermann’s shoulder and set to work on the belt at his waist. “The hell’d I say about wearing obstacle courses over your dick, dude?” He teased.

Hermann laughed at him, pressing his smile into Newton’s hair. “Force of habit I’m afraid. Also, if I do not wear belts, the trousers would not stay up.”

“Well if you actually bought fitted pants, you wouldn’t have that problem.” Newton pulled the belt through the loops once he got it undone and lobbed it over the back of the chair. “Did you raid these from your grandpa’s closet?”

“Are you getting sassy on me?” Hermann asked, feeling warm despite his ensuing nudity. “You’re dangerously close to waiting outside.”

Newton lifted his head and pouted. “You _wouldn’t._ ”

“I might. I’m used to doing this all by my lonesome after all.” Hermann struggled to keep a straight face.

Newton only smiled. “Thought we talked about that whole ‘used to it’ business.”

Hermann hummed and ran his hands through Newton’s short hair. “Yes we did.” He placed a kiss over the bullet wound, being as gentle as possible. “You were in the middle of something dear, don’t get distracted.”

Newton snickered and moved Hermann’s hands to his shoulders. “Brace yourself,” He said, and sank to his knees.

The view of Newton on the floor before him was enough to notch his heart rate up a few gears. But Newton’s quest wasn’t unsavoury. His trousers had slid to the floor before he could blink, and he braced on Newton as asked so he could step out of them. Newton took a quick second to fold them and set them aside before leaning up and hooking his fingers over the hem of Hermann’s underwear. He slid the boxer briefs down and let Hermann step out of them, folding them all the same.

He brushed a thumb along Hermann’s surgical scar, and Hermann sucked in a breath. “Newton…”

“Sorry.” Newton moved his hand up to his waist and slowly stood. Hermann’s arms wound around his neck again, and Newton bumped their noses against each other. “Let’s get you in here.”

Hermann could have stepped in by himself, but Newton wasn’t about to let him. He held Hermann’s hands as he sank into the hot water. The tub continued to fill as Hermann settled back, sighing deeply and letting his legs stretch out in the water.

Today was a long day. Hermann was definitely feeling it, and with the weight behind Newton’s eyes, so was he. Something between them seemed to have changed somehow, and Hermann wasn’t sure when it happened. Whether it was during Newton’s quiet but harsh breakdown in the restaurant, or saving Hermann’s life in the alley, he couldn’t tell. But it didn’t matter. Staring into Newton’s eyes brought something sweet and white hot into his heart.

It was too soon. It was too damn soon. The sweet was bitter, and the heat burned. It had only been three days, and Newton had succeeded at worming into Hermann’s heart where so many others had failed, but it stung.

Newton made the pain worse by sitting on the floor by the tub and running his hand through Hermann’s hair over and over. Hermann inhaled slowly.

“Newton… Do you know how to love…?”

The question escaped before he could stop it. It implied significantly more than he was saying, and he knew that, but there was no taking it back now. As silence and the stillness of Newton’s hand answered, the burn in Hermann’s chest grew hotter, threatening to incinerate his insides and take the rest of his body with it.

Newton’s hand resumed, sliding around his head and cupping Hermann’s face. He leaned his head sideways on the rim and looked directly into Hermann’s eyes. “…I think I’m getting the idea.”

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No porn this time, just fluff, drama, and plot hinting cameos. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


	5. Day 4

They woke to Hermann’s home phone ringing.

Hermann groaned against Newton’s hair and opened his eyes slowly. “God’s sake…” He whispered.

Newton shifted slightly against him, and Hermann’s slowly rousing consciousness reminded him that A. they had tangled themselves together in the night before they slept, and B. they had slept nude.

It hadn’t taken any convincing on Newton’s part to disregard clothing for the night. In fact it hadn’t really been Newton’s idea at all. The shorter man had raided the dresser for his set of night clothes, but Hermann, at the time clad only in a towel, had told him not to bother. Newton had dropped the clothing in shock, and only picked them up when Hermann threatened to make him sleep on the couch for making a mess of his flat. When Newton shed his own clothes, he took the added measure to fold them and place them on top of the dresser to appease Hermann.

Newt had let Hermann settle before nearly diving in after him, snuggling into his chest. It was Newton’s idea to deviate from their usual sleeping position. They’d switched sides, Newton had hooked his legs around Hermann’s good one and planted a pillow on top so Hermann’s bad leg had something soft to rest on. In what was somehow intimate but not arousing, Newton had nestled their hips close enough that their members rested against each other, but the contact was everywhere. Hermann felt so safe and comfortable being so close that he hadn’t given a thought to their position as he drifted off, arms around Newton’s head, nose buried in the short, brown hair.

Now, as his mind caught up with the rest of him, he was more aware of how close they were, and he was also aware that he was half hard.

And the damn phone was still ringing. What a terrible way to wake.

There was, for Hermann’s own convenience, one receiver by his bed on the nightstand. He couldn’t reach it without leaning over Newton.

Newton was, to Hermann’s humiliation, awake. He assumed his ability to ‘sleep’ was a mode he could put himself in, but he was easily roused out of it by movement or sound. “Well good morning to you too, Hermann,” He drawled in a sleep-heavy voice, arching his hips forward to Hermann’s great embarrassment and a soft moan.

“Newton, could you please do me the favour of handing me the phone?” Hermann mumbled into his hair.

“Gotcha.” Newton pressed a kiss to Hermann’s collar bone and leaned away. He detangled their legs, rolling over to grab the phone, and Hermann found himself missing the contact already. He sighed and rolled onto his back. When Newton handed him the phone, he returned to Hermann’s neck regardless of the position change and went about nursing a hot line along Hermann’s pulse.

Hermann shuddered at the heat and glared at him. “Behave yourself.” He said, pressing the answer button and holding the phone to his ear. “Hello? Hermann speaking.”

“ _Mr. Gottlieb! Yes, hello, my name is Sarya Lund with the Designer Date service!_ ” Came the almost shrill response in his ear. He winced and pulled the phone away an inch. “ _How are you today?_ ”

Hermann sighed. That’s right. He hadn’t gotten the chance to respond to their email before his phone was destroyed, and he’d forgotten about it by the time they’d returned home. “ _Dr._ Gottlieb if you please,” He corrected before continuing. “And I’m well. I expect you’re calling about the-” His breath caught in his throat as Newton, who’s hand had been on his arm, had reached further and ghosted a finger over his nipple. He shot him warning glare again, but he knew with deep regret that it didn’t carry the fire he wanted it to. He forced himself to keep talking. “…About the diagnostics?”

“ _Yes sir. We had received the readings, and we were hoping to clear a few things up on your end._ ” Sarya’s voice was much too chipper for this early in the morning. “ _Can you let us know what concerns you had with the product that you felt the need to run the scan?_ ”

Hermann huffed away from the phone as Newton’s tongue burned a trail down his throat and danced on his collarbone. “Y-…Yes, I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding. I do not have any concerns. The test was run by a curious colleague of mine, it shouldn’t have happened.” He bit his lip when Newton’s mouth hovered above his already abused nipple and began flicking his tongue over the hardened bud of flesh. Newton’s asking eyes glanced up at Hermann, making sure he wasn’t going too far, even though he clearly was.

But Hermann, damn himself, didn’t want to stop him. He cupped his hand around the back of Newton’s head, his way of easing Newton’s worries. Newton grinned and nipped at his prize before lifting the blanket and blocking Hermann's view. Hermann nursed his bottom lip.

“ _Well that’s good to hear, sir, but we did have some concerns about the diagnostic results, and we’d like to make sure that the unit is working in proper order,_ ” Continued Miss Lund.

Hermann nodded. “Yes of course, but I-!” Hermann squeaked into momentary silence as Newton slid down his torso, dragging his tongue the whole way, and stopped to dip into Hermann’s navel. Hermann cleared his throat. “But I _assure_ you there’s no call for concern. He’s perfect.”

“ _I understand. It’s just protocol, sir._ ”

Hermann rolled his eyes. “Of course it is…” His abdomen tensed as Newton mouthed a path downward from his navel. He swallowed hard. “C-Can we make this quick then? I am on vacation and do not appreciate the interruption this early in the day.”

“ _Yes of course, sir._ ” Some papers were ruffled on the other line, but Hermann barely heard them. He was too busy trying to fight his body’s reactions to Newton tonguing the base of his member. “ _Standard questions. Was there any delay in your unit’s start-up upon arrival?_ ”

“No.”

“ _Okay. Have you noticed any abnormalities in your unit’s speech patterns or reaction times?_ ”

Newton dragged a wet line from the base of his shaft to the tip, and Hermann held his breath to keep the moan in. He let it go long enough to speak. “N-No.”

“ _All right._ ” He heard typing. He tried to focus on it and not how Newton’s mouth was slowly sliding down his cock. Newton was getting an earful after this. But currently all he was getting was the praise of Hermann’s attentive hands along his scalp through the blanket as he slid back up just as slowly. “ _Have there been any signs of the AI within the unit malfunctioning?_ ”

Newton sank down rapidly. “ _Newton…!_ ” Hermann cried.

“ _Pardon me, sir?_ ”

Hermann covered his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut in humility. “H-His name is Newton. I’d appreciate if you could refer to him as such for the remainder of the convers-…sation.” He took a breath and covered the speaker to gasp as Newton dragged his fingers up his torso and back down.

The other end of the line was silent for a moment, and at first, Hermann thought maybe miss Lund had caught on. But if she did, she didn’t let on when she finally spoke again. “ _There seems to be something amiss with our records. The unit we sent you was ‘Alexander’._ ”

Hermann was barely paying attention. Newton’s hands were paying far too much attention to Hermann’s back, raking dull trails down it and grasping his ass to encourage him to move more. “I don’t… know any Alexander…” He managed with what he actually retained.

“ _...Sir, you have the wrong unit._ ”

Now that, Hermann heard. He huffed and sat up only just. “Honestly, I’m not concerned with whether or not you sent the wrong unit. I assure you it is a mistake I’m incredibly happy with, and no further inquiries are required. I’m very happy with Newton, and I’d appreciate if you’d let me get back to him, thank you.” Hermann hung up, and just in time.

Newton dropped his head down Hermann’s length and swallowed around him, hands kneeding his hips, and Hermann threw his head back in the pillow. He also threw the phone, which landed on the carpet some feet away from the bed. He’d get it later. His back arched, and his feet planted on either side of Newton, taking Newton’s encouragement in stride and thrusting his hips upwards as far as they would go. Which, with Newton holding him down, wasn’t far. He came with a shout, too weak to fight Newton as he tried to buck and failed. Newton instead continued to move his head, drinking him whole.

When Hermann finally dropped, limp, back down to the bed, Newton shifted up his body just enough to snuggle against his chest. He peeked out from under the blanket like it was a hood. “Who was that, honey?” He asked, the playfulness dripping from his voice.

Hermann glared down at him with none of the actual annoyance he intended for it to carry. “You know precisely who it was.”

Newton smirked at him and laid his arms across his chest, leaning on them. “Oooh, am I in trouble?” He asked.

Hermann rolled his eyes and reached under the blanket to rake his hands through Newton’s hair. “Apparently, I received you by mistake.”

Newton’s smile dropped. “…What?”

“The android I was meant to receive was one by the name of Alexander.” Hermann thumbed across Newton’s cheeks and smiled at him. “I told them I was more than pleased with whom I did receive. And then I told them to fuck off as politely as one could whilst having their prick in someone’s throat.”

That should have made Newton laugh. Or even smile. It didn’t. Newton’s face was one of concern.

Hermann huffed. “Newton, I’m not going to send you back before this week is up. I refuse. You are precisely the man I need right now, and you still fit the qualifications I specified. Their mistake was to my benefit, and it’s much too late for them to correct any error.”

Newton’s concern did not diminish, but he laid his head on Hermann’s chest anyway. “…It wasn’t a standard call then…?”

Hermann tilted his head. “Unfortunately no. Tendo’s unwarranted diagnostics check sent the full report to the labs and alerted them to the error.” He ran the backs of his fingers over Newton’s cheek. “Is something wrong, darling? You seem awfully shaken.”

“Oh… ya know. Any major technical difficulty and they replace me with some other AI. No big.” Newton’s voice was shaking.

Hermann sat up the slightest bit. “…Newton, it wasn’t a technical difficulty. They made an error in the shipping department, which is nothing on you. I’ll even vouch for your extraordinary model so they won’t touch your beautiful head.”

Newton answered with silence. Eventually, he took a deep breath he didn’t need. “…Hey Hermann?”

“Yes dear?”

“...Can we pretend I’m human? Just for today?”

Hermann’s breath left him. He stared down at the top of Newton’s head, his hands buried in the hair upon that warm scalp, trembling like he’d been waiting for Newton to say that since he arrived. He ran his thumb along the shell of Newton’s ear and beamed down at him. “It certainly won’t be difficult. I already do not have to pretend to see you as a person.”

Newton finally looked up, and Hermann watched fear leave his eyes. It was replaced with something not quite happy, but resolute. He smiled despite whatever that feeling was. “Do you think you’d have given me the slightest chance if you met me randomly on the streets?”

Hermann leaned back in the pillows and stroked Newton’s hair. “Honestly, I feel if you were human, you’d already be set with someone. You wouldn’t have given  _me_ a sideways glance.” He caught Newt’s jaw when he went to retort, thumb tugging his lip down. “…But I think we’d have met at a symposium. With your intellect, you could easily have several doctorates by now, I’m sure. You’d have studied biology, yes?”

Newton kissed the thumb out of his way so he could speak. “All kinds, yeah. Chemistry too probably. Minored in engineering and robotics.”

Hermann looked down at him again. “Well then we most certainly would have met. Maybe we’d both be employed at ShatterTech. Perhaps even debated certain applications of technological advances for the future of robotics. Would have done for years, I’m sure.”

Newt snorted. “Wow, you think we’d have just argued with each other for years?”

“ _Debated,_ Newton. There is a difference.” Hermann reached further to cup Newton’s face. “I would absolutely be attracted to someone who can hold their own against me. I likely would have continued trying to debate with you just to see how far you could keep up, and you would have. Every step of the way, you would have.”

Newton leaned into the touch. “I’d think it’s kinda hot. The way you just keep coming back for more. Neither of us would ever give in, let’s be real.” He let his eyes drift closed. “One day, I couldn’t even concentrate on what we were arguing about. All I could think about was your mouth and how much I wanted to have it on me, anywhere.”

Hermann went pink. Were they really doing this? Deciding on some fantasy meeting they could have had? He swallowed hard. “Likewise, I’d had several hopes for what I wanted your mouth to be doing besides talking. If your tongue was so sharp to form so many bloody opinions, what else could it do?”

“Speak German around your cock.”

Hermann snorted a laugh in embarrassment. “ _Newton,_ honestly.”

Newton snickered and slid slowly up Hermann’s body. “I think I kissed you first. You got all uppity about it initially, yelling at me about how inappropriate it is to do that in public.”

Hermann bit his lip to quell the smile. “Then I reminded you the nearest supply closet location, and you nearly carried me there to compensate for my leg… You’ve always been so careful with me, but it’s never felt patronising like it is with anyone else.”

“That’s because it doesn’t make you any less of a person. It’s just a part of who you are, and I’ve never wanted you to feel bad about it.” Newton leaned up and kissed Hermann’s forehead. “I was always afraid you thought I was a pest.”

“Well you were.” He teased. “You leave everything a mess, it’s a wonder you could even find your research to argue for it.”

“Hey, it is chaotic organisation. We talked about this. Shortly before I went down on you in a supply closet.”

Hermann laughed again. “I won that one, by the way,” He teased.

“You do not win a debate automatically because you shoved your dick in my throat to keep me from talking.”

“Excuse me, you were the one who no longer continued to fight when you were finished _having_ my dick down your throat, thank you, so I took that as you giving up.”

“Uh no, I didn’t get back to it ‘cause I was too focused on your hand in my pants, and maybe that was a little more important than explaining to you how my brain better remembers where things are when I leave them wherever instead of in drawers or cabinets.”

“That is _still_ such a foolish notion! Your brain could easily remember you putting a stack of notes in a drawer just as well as haphazardly on my desk if you would actually _put your notes in a drawer._ ”

“The drawer was already full of stuff though!”

“That’s no excuse to come to my side of the lab and leave your notes everywhere!”

Newton tried to keep up the argument, but he laughed instead, ducking his head to Hermann’s shoulder. “ _Your side-_ Ha! You probably taped a line down the middle.”

“If you’re the type to nose around where you don’t belong, you’re absolutely right,” Hermann mused into Newton’s hair. “You have no sense of personal space.”

Newton tilted his head up and smiled against Hermann’s jaw. “It’s probably because I’ve wanted you in _my_ personal space for years.”

Hermann was red to his ears. “...Years, hm?”

Newton nodded, eyes closed. “I’ve probably complained about it enough to Tendo when you’re not around. He thought I was in love with you before I even knew he was right.”

Hermann chest could have capsized like a poorly pressurised submarine in the bottom on the sea. “…You think you’d be in love with me…?” This was too much. Far too much. He loved it, he ached for it, but in the end it was a fantasy, and Newton still had to leave in a few days.

Newton smiled again- Hermann could feel it- and chuckled. “You’re a repressed caricature of a professor from the 1920s, you have old man shoes, and a ridiculously outdated haircut. You’re constantly covered in chalk dust, which is hilarious because who even uses chalk anymore, and drink way too much tea. You wield that cane like you’ve got a sword hidden in it and you’re constantly daring anyone to start some shit with you.” Newton shifted back enough to turn Hermann’s face in his hands and kiss him softly, on the lips, as if they had truly been together for years. “Of course I’d be in love with you. I’d be crazy not to be.”

He would be. But he wasn’t. Hermann’s lips trembled as he tried to smile. He covered his inability to do so convincingly by kissing Newton again, fingers tucked below his ear as his thumb massaged the lobe. “…You’re already crazy, my dear.”

Newton hummed against his mouth. “Mm. Probably.”

They laid there for a while, nose to nose, alternating between looking into each other’s eyes and looking down. Eventually Hermann’s eyes just closed completely in his own humility. “Newton… I know I said that I-… I did not wish to do anything heavily intimate, but would you-… would you like to-…” And suddenly he felt like a teenager again. He was afraid to finish the sentence.

Because Newton was growing tense in his arms. God, why did he bring it up?

“I-It-… We don’t have to, I was just… wondering.” He ducked his head further.

Newton cleared his throat. “Not… right now. Later today though, definitely. After dinner maybe? I’d want a lot of time to give you the attention you deserve, so…”

When Hermann lifted his head, Newton’s eyes held a promise in them, but within it was a muddied guilt. Hermann bit his lip. “Newton please don’t force yourself if you don’t want to-”

“No, no, Hermann I do. Trust me, I do, I-… Just not right now.” He let himself smirk. “I’d rather we both be able to walk straight for the day.”

Hermann blinked and gave a short laugh. “Honestly, Newton…”

Newton leaned in and kissed above Hermann’s eye. “Where do you want to go today? We could get coffee again, maybe go see a movie?” His smile grew mischievous. “You, me, a dark room, my hand in your pants…”

Hermann laughed again and covered his face. “That is _far_ too public; I couldn’t.”

“Well not with that attitude.”

“ _Newton!_ ”

“Would you rather I ravish you in a bathroom stall during dinner? Because that could be arranged-”

“Dinner,” Hermann blankly interrupted. He groaned in a moment of realisation. “Tendo.”

Newton was blinking at him. “What?”

Hermann sighed and sat up, sliding his legs over the side of the bed. “Tendo had called yesterday and asked if we would attend dinner with him as an apology for his actions on Monday. I had meant to contact him again, but then that man attacked me, and-”

“Oh shit yeah, your phone was toast.” Newton winced.

“I can’t believe I’d forgotten.” Hermann shook his head and stood, shivering at the comparative chill of the room. He made his way to the dresser and collected his set of pajamas. “Is that something you would mind? I know Tendo is not your favourite person, but he means well, he really does.”

Newt was sat up now. “Whoa, no, Tendo’s awesome, dude. He didn’t know what that would do to me, it’s not his fault. Besides, it’s an apology dinner, right? I’m down.” He beamed. “We don’t have to tell him our plans after.”

Hermann flushed and sat in a nearby chair to pull on his pants. “Certainly not.” He stood to secure the pants and pulled on the shirt. He snatched his cane from the wall and leaned down to pick up the phone from where he’d launched it. “I’m going to call him at the office and let him know we’re willing.”

Newton nodded. “Dinner’s a ways away. What’ll we do before then?”

Hermann looked thoughtful for a moment. “We could go out for lunch. Perhaps your idea of seeing a movie isn’t out of the question, but just the movie. Not… everything else you were planning.”

Newton smirked from the bed and kicked the blankets off, leaving him exposed. He strolled over to Hermann and wrapped his arms around his neck, pressing their bodies together. “Spoil sport,” He teased.

Hermann went red and ducked his head. “Perhaps we can try something similar at a later date, but I won’t be able to look Tendo in the eye if we did it shortly before.”

Newton laughed and bumped his nose to Hermann’s. “Yeah, yeah.”

Hermann smiled and lifted the phone, dialing and moving to lean his head on Newton’s.

Tendo picked up after two rings. “ _ShatterTech, you’ve reached the great Tendo Choi, speak and be heard._ ”

Hermann rolled his eyes. “You know management has been asking you to be more professional on the phone.”

There was a sound, as if Tendo had dropped something or moved suddenly, and his voice grew louder. “ _Hermann! Hey! I was trying to call you, but you weren’t answering._ ”

“Uh, yes. My cellular phone met with a rather unfortunate accident shortly after I texted you last night.” Hermann felt Newton press a kiss to his throat, and he tensed, blushing with indignity and pulling the phone away. “Oh, will you stop! Go put some trousers on, would you! Shoo!”

Newton snickered and nipped once at his ear. “Told you you’re a spoil sport.”

Hermann shook his head and pulled the phone back to his ear. “Apologies.”

“' _Trousers’ huh? What have you been up to, Hermann?_ ” Hermann could hear the words swimming in amusement.

He huffed. “That- That isn’t your business.”

“ _Right, right. Sorry._ ” Tendo chuckled over the line. “ _So yeah, you make a decision about dinner?_ ”

Hermann made his way out of the room after Newton, heading for the kitchen. “Yes. We’ve love to go.”

“ _Still my treat since I feel like an ass._ ” Tendo cleared his throat. “ _Hope Newt’s okay with Italian. Same place as always?_ ”

“Manolo’s will be just fine. Newton hasn’t had italian before, I’m sure he’ll appreciate the new experience.” Hermann put the kettle on as soon as he reached the kitchen.

He heard Tendo make a noise of disapproval. “ _He’s never had Italian? That’s a damn shame, brother, we need to fix that somethin’ fierce._ ”

Hermann pulled two mugs down in case Newton wanted tea. “I’m sure he would agree.” He glanced over at Newton, who was hopping to try and keep his balance as he struggled to get a pair of dark, corduroy pants on. He smiled at the sight and sighed. “When shall we meet you there?”

“ _Well I’m out at 5 as usual, but I could get to Manolo’s by 5:30 easy. It’s casual Friday, so I’m already to the nines, my man._ ”

Hermann laughed. “Well Tendo, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, it is Wednesday.”

“ _What!?_ ” Tendo asked in a facade of shock. “ _And nobody told me?_ ”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re half an hour away from a polite email about that bowtie.” The kettle finished boiling the water, and he placed a teabag in his mug. “Tea, Newton?”

Newton had a dress shirt half buttoned when he turned to look at him. “Oh hey, yeah! Thanks! Tell Tendo I said hi, by the way.”

Hermann hummed a giggle and dropped another bag into Newton’s mug. “Newton says hello.” He lifted the kettle off the base and poured the water. There was silence on Tendo’s end for a few seconds that became unnerving only when Hermann noticed it. “Tendo? Is everything all right?”

“ _I-… Yeah. Yeah, you just-_ ” There was that uncomfortable pause again. “ _…You just sound really happy._ ”

Hermann’s heart fluttered. His eyes shot to Newton before he could help it. Newton was humming a song as he dug through the clothing and pulled out the skinniest, most useless looking tie Hermann had ever seen, beaming at it and flipping it around his neck to begin tying it. Hermann swallowed his nerves. “…Perhaps that is because I am.”

Tendo chuckled, but Hermann could hear the hesitation. “ _See you at dinner, Hermann._ ”

Hermann bit his lip. “Until then, Mr. Choi.”

He set the phone down when Tendo hung up and he sighed, taking a deep, slow breath. Even Tendo knew he was in too deep. He gripped the bridge of his nose.

“Hermann?” Newton’s careful tone drifted from his right. Hermann looked to him and his chest filled with bubbles all over again. “You okay?”

Hermann smiled at him, turning to him fully and draping his arms over his shoulders. “I’m wonderful, Newton.” He kissed his nose and rested his forehead on Newton’s. “I think you’re going to like Italian food.”

Newton seemed to relax and wrapped his arms around Hermann’s middle. “It’s Manolo’s right? I’ll look up the menu when you’re getting dressed.” He kissed Hermann softly and pulled away to pick up his mug.

Hermann swatted his hands away. “You still have another three minutes to let that steep. Be patient.”

Newton smirked at him. “I’m not familiar with that concept, Hermann. Can you explain it to me?” He teased.

Hermann scoffed at him and ruffled up his hair to Newton’s clear laughter. “Brat.”

~

After Hermann was dressed, Newton had already decided that he really wanted to know what a calzone was. He’d shut the laptop, threw on his leather jacket, and linked arms with the now fully dressed Hermann. Hermann was swept away by Newton’s excitement and led the way out.

They started the day replacing Hermann’s cellphone. They went to the store of his carrier, and Newton shelled out a good chunk of what was left of his funds to get Hermann a model that was everything proof. Hermann kept insisting he didn’t need something so pricey, but Newton waved the shattered shell of his old one in front of him with an arched eyebrow. Hermann eventually relented and all of his contacts as well as his number were transferred to a sleek new thing that the man guaranteed by dropping it once on the floor before Hermann could even get his hands on it. They all had a laugh, the transaction was complete, and they left.

Outside the building, Newton made a joke about how the new phone was just as bullet proof as he was, and immediately snatched it from him to open the camera feature. He’d demanded a selfie of all things, but that bright grin was not a thing that Hermann easily denied. Newton pulled Hermann close, nearly cheek to cheek, and snapped a (decently high quality) photo. He set it as the background of the phone, stuck his tongue out, and handed it back to Hermann. Hermann gave the photo a few seconds of pondering, but he really only needed one to be aware of how far he’d truly fallen. He knew he hadn’t smiled like that in years. He bit his lip, locked the phone, and pocketed it.

Their next stop was a three story bookstore. Newton had gotten lost on purpose among the many aisles, picking up random books and flipping through them. It as as if he was simply skimming, but Hermann knew with his hardware, he was probably retaining entire sections at a time. Hermann had either leaned on shelves or sat in chairs nearby as Newton learned.

After they left the store, Newton revealed that he’d bought Hermann a book of photographs taken by the Hubble space telescope over the decades. Hermann had, after kissing Newton without a care for who saw, revealed that he’d bought Newton a book about sea monsters from historical to fictional. Newton had kissed back with even more fervor after that.

They bought tickets for a movie, and thankfully its plot distracted Newton from his previous threat to put his hands in places they didn’t belong in public. It was a film about robots and monsters, and Newt had been on the edge of his seat or clinging to Hermann’s arm the entire time.

Hermann wasn’t sure what most of the movie had been about. He was too busy watching Newton’s face as it lit the dark room like a star made man. The light spread to Hermann’s chest and stayed there, where he swore he’d keep that fire going. Less than four days was all it took for Hermann to fall pathetically for someone he could not have. Hermann fell fast and hard, and he knew it. But even if this had all been a mistake in the long run, the 'now' was pretty uplifting.

They left the movie faster than they’d entered, with Newton leading Hermann by the hand and rambling on about the film. Hermann learned more about the movie from Newton than he had watching the damn thing.

They reached the restaurant around 5:30 pm, and Newton hadn’t stopped. Hermann didn’t seem to mind. “So obviously, if you were in the movie, you’d be coding the giant robots, right? Think you could see me sciencing the fuck out of those monsters?”

Hermann chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, I absolutely see you working on the useless side of that lab.”

Newton became playfully offended. “Whoa, what do you mean ‘useless’? Somebody’s gotta figure out what makes the monsters tick, right? Otherwise the robots wouldn’t know where to hit.”

Hermann rolled his eyes. “Obviously the science should be behind preparing the robots for anything. It’s no good how much you know about the monsters with robots heading out after them at half their function.”

“Like okay, I get you, but if you only have to shoot once because of good information, you don’t really have to go in guns blazing, right? Just like… gun blazing. Once, and accurately.”

“You’re running on the assumption that these monsters won’t have surprises. You could study their patterns as opposed to their biology. Clearly they have a goal, and they’re systematic about achieving it. ‘Quick and accurate’ is better suited to numbers.”

“ _Numbers,_ dude? They’re monsters! They wouldn’t run on a damn pattern!”

“Whoa, whoa!” Came the sudden voice of Tendo, who’d arrived from up the block where he’d parked his car. “Do I gotta call a marriage counselor for you guys already?”

Hermann went pink and ducked his head. “Don’t be foolish. We were just discussing a film.”

Tendo strolled up and straightened his tie. “Oh, you saw the new one? Yeah, Mako and Raleigh were telling me about it. Is it any good?”

Newton grinned at him. “It’s _amazing._ If you haven’t seen it, you gotta go.” He paused. “Who’s Mako and Raleigh?”

Hermann pulled open the door for them. “Mako is a mutual friend of ours. She was a student of mine when I used to assist at the university she attended.”

Tendo ducked into the restaurant first. “Raleigh we met through her.”

Newton was beaming when he walked through the door and aimed that light at Hermann. “I fucking _knew_ it. I knew you were a professor of some kind.”

Hermann blushed and covered his face. “I was a teachers _aide._ I was there for tutoring and helping out with busier classes. I’ve never been a professor.”

“But you totally could be.” Tendo flashed three fingers at the host, who nodded and grabbed menus. “I keep tellin’ ya ShatterTech doesn’t deserve you.”

“You’d be awfully lonely in those labs without me.”

“Nah. I’ve got Charlotte, don’t I?”

“Charlotte doesn’t like you. You don’t even say hello.”

“‘Ey, I’m learning!”

The host lead them to a booth, and Tendo sat on one side while Hermann and Newton took the other. Newton slipped his hand into Hermann’s beneath the table, and Hermann accepted it with a trembling grip. He offered Newton a soft smile and flipped his menu open.

They didn’t discuss much before food arrived beyond Hermann asking how work was going. Tendo seemed to be afraid to ask Newton any questions at all, and by the time the food at arrived, Newton had noticed. “You realise I’m not off limits, you know,” He said, cutting into his (particularly massive) calzone.

Tendo, who’d ordered a lasagna for himself, blinked at him. “Pardon?”

“It’s like you’re afraid to talk to me.”

Tendo winced. “I’m sorry.” He glanced down at his food and sighed. “I still feel kinda bad. I really didn’t think you’d react like that.”

“It’s cool man, you didn’t know. And you apologised, and you’re buying me food. You’re forgiven.” Newton took a rather large bite of calzone and beamed at him. “Becaushe I’m pretty sure thish ish the greatesht thing I’ve ever eaten.”

Tendo’s face was one of relief. “Yeah, I heard you never had Italian before. I couldn’t imagine life without a good lasagna once in a while.”

Hermann cut a piece of his chicken marsala and snickered. “You say that like you’re always high cuisine, but 97% of the time we are here, you order pizza.”

Tendo looked mock-offended. “Hey, don’t knock the pie. You eat your fair share too, don’t you deny it.”

“I made absolutely no admissions to the contrary.” Hermann gave him a grin and ate a mushroom.

Newton’s laugh filled the already warm atmosphere. Hermann turned to him with more love in his gaze than he meant it to hold, but there was no stopping it.

Tendo snorted. “You guys want me to eat at another table? Feeling like a third wheel over here.”

Hermann went pink and shot an empty glare at him. “Of course not.”

Tendo smirked at them and took another bite of his lasagna. “So Newt, did you have a favourite food before you found out what a calzone was?”

“I mean, I started this week loving the fuck out of pancakes.” Newt chuckled.

Tendo frowned. “What, you haven’t had food before this?”

Newt shook his head. “Not enough to count it. Tell you what, I’m demanding one of these next time I bust outta the box.”

“Eh, start with pizza,” Tendo said, gesturing at the calzone with his fork. “It’s like that, but the sauce is already on it, and it’s… unfolded. I guess that’s a good word.”

“Oh yeah, I saw that on the menu. I’ve known the concept, but I never tasted it.”

Tendo made a soft noise and clapped a hand on his chest. “Damn, you’re breaking my heart!” He shook his head. “Fucking crime I tell ya. Any favourite activities?”

Hermann fumbled his fork dropping it on the plate to the tune of Newton's cackling laughter. “I can think of a few things,” Newton teased as Hermann looked ready to crawl under the table.

It was Tendo’s turn to go red. “ _Not_ what I meant! Easy there, Oxfords.” Tendo looked back at Newt. “I meant since you’ve been out and about. What’d you guys do?”

Newton smiled at him again, still amused from Hermann’s embarrassment. “The aquarium was a big win. I could hang out in the shark tunnel all day if I had a choice.”

“Aw, Hermann, you took him to the aquarium?”

Hermann was still red from before, but he could swear he’d gone hotter at Tendo’s words. He stabbed aimlessly at his food. “He had expressed interest in the idea. He is also covered in sea creatures if you haven’t noticed.”

Newton lit up and rolled his sleeves up. “Yeah! See? Got ‘em everywhere.”

Tendo leaned forward. “Yeah, I noticed them, but I never really payed attention to what they were. That a giant squid?” He asked, reaching across the table to push the sleeve higher.

Newt tilted his head and looked smug. “Nah, think bigger. _Colossal_ squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. Largest invertebrate still living, can get up to twelve to fourteen meters long and sixteen _hundred_ pounds or more.” He flipped his arm over. “Significantly smaller, but I’ve got an angler fish here.”

Tendo snickered, but then he pointed to his other arm to something that looked like a shark, but its bottom jaw resembled a buzz saw blade. “Okay, but what the hell is _that._ That’s not anything I’ve seen in an aquarium.”

“Oh, god I hope not. That’s a Helicoprion. It’s extinct as hell, but how freaking _cool_ right?”

Tendo laughed fully, leaning back in his seat. “That’s a word for it!”

Newton looked proud of himself. “I’ve also got a megalodon, because who doesn’t love a giant shark. It’s not all big guys though, I’ve got an axolotl floating around here somewhere, and a nautilus.”

Tendo covered his smile and sighed. “Wow. I cannot believe somebody like you wound up at DD of all places… Why would Dr. Geiszler give advanced AIs to a sex service?”

Newton’s entire demeanour changed. His smile slid from his face and an anger built behind his eyes. “Jacob didn’t _give_ me to DD. He doesn’t give anybody to companies. That’s not his decision.” Newt went tense and looked down at his calzone, cutting another bite free. “He sends AIs to a distribution facility because of his contracts, and _they_ decide where they go.” He stabbed the bite of food with his fork too hard.

Tendo flinched. “Sorry,” He said, hunching his shoulders. “I wasn’t trying to imply-”

“I know,” Newt sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. The guy’s basically my father, I got a little defensive.”

“Fair enough.” Tendo nodded. Then he looked down. “Dr. Geiszler usually get all personal with his creations? That’s not a standard practice. Probably why you’re so advanced, right?”

Newton’s face was blank for a moment before a small smile broke the facade. “Yeah… He talks to all of us. It’s part of the process to socialise us so we’re used to people.”

“So you got to exist before all this then? That’s cool. About how long?”

Newton looked pensive. “Well I don’t know about the others, but I was socialised for years.”

Tendo looked shocked. “…How many years?”

“Uh…” Newton tapped his fingers on the table. “Five?”

Tendo’s jaw dropped. “Holy shit.”

Hermann knew a few things about AI from his personal experience that AIs did not require that much socialisation. They usually got a few months of it, after being fed existing data, to make sure it took and start the learning process. Newton was different at every benchmark.

Newton was _different._

Hermann felt the solidity of the room now. He saw Newton’s nerves and Tendo’s disbelief. This could not continue. “What is Jacob like, Newton?”

The ice shattered. Newton turned those big, lost eyes to him and smiled again. “He’s wonderful.” He returned to take another bite of his food and swallow it. “He’s always really tired, but he always says good morning like he’s happy to see me. Or, talk to me anyway. He was always alone when I saw him, but his brother dropped in a lot to make sure he wasn’t going insane talking to computers.” He laughed, a little bitterly but still full of a hint of joy.

Hermann smiled at him and placed his hand on Newton’s back. “You were with him for five years; Do you have a favourite memory of him?”

Newton lit up, and Hermann felt the room grow softer. Much better. “Yeah, actually. He tunes pianos on the side as a hobby. He’s always liked music, and I asked him one day if he could play anything. He played me a Queen song. Somebody to Love.”

“Ah, well that explains your taste in music,” Hermann teased.

“Well yeah, late 1900s is where it’s at.” Newton took another bite. “Also I don’t wanna hear any sass, you’ve got The Smiths on that laptop among all that Mozart and Katchaturian you’re hiding under. Don’t think I didn’t find that.”

“Snoop.”

Tendo was smiling again, but it was careful. “You actually listen to something that isn’t ancient classical, doc?”

Hermann threw a sugar packet at him. “Shush you. And you,” He pointed at Newton. “Stop giving him ammunition.”

Newton snickered and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “It shouldn’t be a secret that you have layers, Dr. Gottlieb,” He said, voice low and so full of affection. Hermann could have passed out.

Tendo set his fork down. “Can you play any piano, Newt?” He asked.

Newt nodded. “Yeah. I picked it up from watching Jacob and researching. Put me in front of some keys and call me Liberace.” He glanced down at his plate and smiled fondly. “Sometimes I wonder if… if Jacob would like that I learned. I’d like to play for him one day.”

Hermann took in that far-away tone. He could tell by Tendo’s silence that he saw it too, but he didn’t give Tendo the attention. Newton needed him now. “I’m sure he’d love that.”

Newton glanced up at him again. Their eyes met, and the sun filled both of them. Newton’s smile creased his face. Hermann rubbed the back of his neck.

“Nice tats,” A woman suddenly said as she was led from the doorway by the host. She was completely bald, but she wore a tight blouse over leggings and sunglasses.

Newton’s smile disappeared. He glanced at her, brow struggling to remain steady. “Nice shades,” He answered. She gave him a small smile and continued to her table.

Hermann glanced after her with concern. He looked back at Newton, but by the time he did, that strange, hovering distress was gone. He focused on his food.

“They are pretty sweet tattoos, I’m not gonna lie,” Tendo added.

Newton snorted and lifted his eyes to him. “Thanks.”

Hermann felt like he’d missed something. Newton was hunched like he had a secret, and Tendo was wound like a too-fast clock. Hermann couldn’t shake the idea that something was terribly, irreparably wrong.

~

They left the restaurant in silence, and Hermann was holding Newton’s hand as carefully as he could. Newton offered him a smile when he caught his eyes, but it felt sad. Hermann gave him a questioning look and moved his free hand to the back of his head- home base. “Are you all right, darling?”

Newton nodded. “Yeah, I guess I just missed Jacob more than I thought.”

“I’m sorry if we brought up anything upsetting.” Hermann ran his thumb behind his ear.

“You didn’t.” Newton leaned up and kissed Hermann right on the lips. “I needed the reminder.”

Tendo stood a few feet off, checking the time. “Hey Hermann? Can I, uh. Can I talk to you for a sec?” He glanced at Newton and then back again. “Uh, alone, if that’s okay.”

Hermann opened his mouth to argue, but Newton spoke first. “Yeah, it’s cool.” Hermann made a frustrated noise, but Newton didn’t let him speak again. “It’s okay, Herms, I’m not offended. Conversation between friends, I get it.” He pulled his hand free of Hermann’s grip and caught his cheeks in both of them. He pulled him down into another kiss, deeper this time. Hermann tried to pretend he couldn’t feel Newton’s hands shaking.

When Newton seemed satisfied, he pulled away and leaned his forehead on his, eyes closed. “Come-… Come get me when you’re done.” And with that, Newton walked away, his hand dragging down Hermann’s arm to squeeze his hand before he lost contact completely.

Hermann watched him walk down the block and around the corner. His lips pursed and he glanced at Tendo. “ _What?_ ”

“There’s something wrong with him,” Tendo said.

Hermann’s shoulders rose defensively. “Mr. Choi, you are dangerously close to having to apologise again-”

“Hermann seriously, listen to me for five minutes, okay? That’s all I’m asking, and then you can go get him.” Tendo held his hands up. “I swear.”

Hermann glanced past Tendo where Newton had gone and sighed, turning his attention to him fully. “Fine.”

“He is not a normal AI. At all.” Tendo kept his voice low. “When I say I’ve never seen anything like him before, I’m not exaggerating. _Never._ Not once. And my job is literally all about robots. I’m constantly running diagnostics, and constantly in contact with AI, even the learning models, _even_ the Geiszler models. He should not be capable of most of his range of emotions. He nearly had a panic attack when I checked him, and bots do not do that. They don’t.”

Hermann hackled up and could have snarled if he wasn’t careful. “I think you need to get to the point, Mr. Choi, my patience is waning.”

“There is something that Newt isn’t telling you. I don’t know what it is, but I think-” He took a breath and held it. Then he let it go. “I think you’re too invested in him. You’re acting like you’re in love with him, and it hasn’t even been a full week.”

“I-!” Hermann’s chest tightened as the denial froze in his throat. He didn’t want to tell Tendo he was wrong about what he thought- it didn’t help that he was right. “I am _not_ in love with Newton!”

“Are you sure? Because I’ve seen you smile before and none of those smiles even came _close_ to how real they are when you look at him.”

Hermann shut his mouth and looked away. He focused somewhere past Tendo, unable to look him in the eye. “…I cannot help it, Tendo, he’s… he knows exactly what I need, and I’ve never had that before.”

“Because he’s got to leave, Hermann. You’re so invested in him because he’s different, but he still has to go back to the service, and that is going to kill you.”

“It’s not nearly that serious,” Hermann tried to interject.

Tendo stepped forward and caught his shoulders. “I’m not saying these things to be an ass. I am your friend, and I am worried about you. That bot is keeping something from you, and you’re too invested. Something is _wrong._ ”

Hermann stared at Tendo’s stoic face. He couldn’t take this. He shrugged his shoulders free and made his way around him. “I do not have to listen to this. I have myself under control, and you need not concern yourself with my well being.” He kept marching away toward the corner Newton had rounded, even as Tendo hurried after him. “I wouldn’t even be in this position if it weren’t for your encouragement, so I suppose if something _is_ wrong, I should take that into consideration and never take your advice again.” He kept his gaze locked on the pavement until he turned that same corner and looked up to find Newton-

Being shoved into the back of a limo a ways down the street by a familiar, blond man in a loud suit. He climbed in after Newton, shut the door, and the limo peeled out.

The breath left Hermann’s chest. “ _Newton!_ ” He made to hobble after the vehicle, desperation carrying him faster than his legs ever could. Newton was being stolen.

_Newton was being taken away from him._

Tendo had made it round the building in time to see the limo take off with Hermann hurrying after it. “Hermann! Hermann, what happened!? Slow down- your leg, man!”

“Damn my leg! That limousine has taken Newton!”

Tendo froze. “What!?”

“Newton has been _abducted!_ ”

Tendo caught his arm when he tried to run again. “You’re not gonna make any headway on foot, I’ll get my car! Stay here!” He ran off.

Tendo returned with his mini cooper in seconds, having not parked far, and Hermann struggled to watch where the limo turned. He practically dove into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. “They went left on Fifth Avenue! Hurry!”

Tendo took off. His eyes were wide and scared, and Hermann didn’t blame him. But that was fine. Hermann’s eyes held enough fury for both of them. He realised where he’d seen the man who’d thrown Newton into the car. In the rush of the previous night, he’d not remembered much before Newton saved his life. Now, in the heat of the chase, he remembered the man from the restaurant, who had callously given Newton the exact same compliment as the young woman who’d come into Manolo’s early in their meal.

They had been following Newton. They had been _stalking_ him.

They turned on Fifth Avenue in time to see the limo take a left further up. “Tendo-”

“I see it.” Tendo followed.

~

The chase, which was slow and calculated, led them past the occupied homes and into the warehouse district by the docks on the river. Tendo kept his distance as they watched the limo pull into the large, open door of one of the hanger-like buildings. The door slammed shut like a garage behind it. Tendo parked. “I’m gonna call the cops.”

“I’m going in after him.” Hermann opened the door.

Tendo balked. “Wha-! No! Hermann!” He tried to reach after him, but Hermann was already shutting the door and walking away.

Hermann kept on going even when he heard Tendo’s door shut and his footsteps after him. “Doc, _think_ about what you’re doing here for a second! We just followed a bunch of criminals to a warehouse by the docks!” His voice was a harsh whisper. “If we go in there, they’ll find us in the river in a few hours!”

“Then you can stay out here and call the authorities if you so choose.” Hermann spun short and stared him down. “Newton saved my life last night, and I owe him the same. I’m not about to let anything happen to him on my watch.” He turned again and kept going. Tendo didn’t argue. Instead, he followed.

Hermann made his way as carefully as he could around the building, trying to find a way in that wasn’t obvious. Eventually he found a side door that wasn’t locked and swung it open slowly. Tendo kept flicking his terrified gaze behind them, but Hermann kept his sights set straight ahead. He had to get to Newton. Newton had to know he wasn’t alone.

As they snuck inside, view of their entry was blocked by large, stacked crates. He could hear speaking, but his blood was boiling in his ears too much for him to focus on what they were saying. Tendo tapped his back frantically. Hermann turned, and Tendo showed him his phone- No signal. They had no hope of back-up.

Hermann stood a little straighter, and he closed his eyes, nodding at Tendo and turning back to the inner warehouse. He had to do something. Newton had to know someone was there for him.

“You find the programs?” Asked the familiar, sleazy voice of the man from yesterday.

“They were hidden behind several firewalls, but yes. All are accounted for,” Answered another man Hermann couldn’t see yet.

Hermann peered around the boxes in time to see the first man nod to the second. “Delete them all. No trace.”

As Hermann kept on he finally spotted Newton. He was seated in a chair, head slumped forward, and there was a slit across the back of his neck. Several wires were plugged into him, connecting him to a computer controlled by the second man.

Hermann’s panic bubbled over. “ _Newt!_ ”

Before his good sense (or Tendo) could stop him, he launched himself around the crates and made a beeline for the android. Another man built like a bouncer came at him from his left, he swung his cane with no hesitation, clocking the man in the head.

Hermann was rushed by others, body guards coming from nowhere with guns, several others grabbing his arms and ripping his cane away from him. He compensated by biting at least one man, but it didn’t do anything to free himself. He watched Tendo try and rush to help, punching the back of one man’s head before he was caught and shoved against the crates. A gun was leveled at Hermann's head. He stared the gunman down as if he could burn him with his gaze.

“Whoa, whoa, _whoa, stop!_ ”

Everything froze. The guards stopped, Hermann stopped struggling, and the room filled with silence as Hermann’s gut filled with dread.

The speaker had been Newton. He was standing, having yanked the wires from the back of his head on his own, and was there, free to roam around, ten feet away. “Put your fucking guns away! Jesus Christ…”

The guards looked to the blond man, who sighed and waved them off. Tendo was pulled away from the crates and let go. Hermann was released and handed his cane, but it was barely a help as he stared at Newton. His legs wanted to give out. His heart was twisting in his chest.

Newton wanted to be here. He wasn’t fighting these people at all. Hermann’s lip trembled. “…Newton…?”

“I’m sorry, Hermann…” Newton’s voice was so small. “I’m so, so sorry. You have to believe me when I say that I didn’t wanna do this-”

“What is _this,_ Newton…?” Hermann spat harsher than he’d meant.

Newton flinched. “I’m… I’m escaping. I’m getting out of DD, this was always the plan, I-… I’m sorry it had to be you. I didn’t want it to be you…”

Hermann’s form grew tight. He held in the wail of emotion that wanted to come out and replaced it with his coldest stare. “Who are you? _What_ are you?”

“I’m an AI. But I’m not… I’m not standard anything, Jacob made me special. I’m… my own fucking person, and I just wanted to exist for real.” Newton was gripping his hair. “You get that, right? You-You understand?”

Hermann closed his eyes tightly. “…You used me.”

“Herms-”

“Were you intending to leave from the beginning?” Hermann asked before Newton could speak.

Newton dropped his head. “Yes and no. I was originally, but after… after spending time with you, I didn’t want to do that to you. I didn’t _want_ to leave you.”

“And yet, here we are.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Why not!?”

“It was the diagnostic!” Newt shouted. “I decided yesterday at the aquarium that I didn’t want to use you, so when I met up with Chau at the restaurant I tried to back out of the plan! I tried, okay, but then this morning, I found out the diagnostic was sent to DD- I _had_ to leave after that. I’m not supposed to exist, and they know I’m basically a sentient virus now, dude, I wasn’t gonna have another chance. So I contacted him again and set this up-… God, Hermann I swear I didn’t want to do this to you, if I had any other options I would take them…”

Hermann said nothing for a while. He dropped his gaze to the floor, and gave a bitter laugh. “…‘Nice tats’… It was code.”

“‘Nice shades’ meant the plan was go. All this, the wires, it’s just to delete tracking and sharing programs. To separate me from DD for good. I’m not in danger.” Newton nursed his bottom lip and stepped forward. “Hermann, I’m so sorry.” He opened his arms as he approached.

Hermann’s hand swung out and flattened against Newton’s chest like a brick, halting his movement. He lifted his eyes to meet Newton’s crushed expression. It nearly destroyed his will, and he wanted to curl around Newton and tell him everything would be okay.

But he couldn’t. Newton had lied to him. For days, he’d lied when Hermann would have done everything in his power to help him if he just told the truth. Hermann steadied his resolve and his breathing. He tilted his head back. “I hope you enjoy your freedom, Newton.” He took a step back and leaned heavily on his cane. Newton looked like he wanted to speak, but the words weren’t coming. Hermann spoke again instead. “Things aren’t so bleak. Look at it this way. You lied, you used me to further your goals, and you have the sense to feel guilty about it, even if it is too little, too late.” He took a deep breath. “No pretending. You are unquestionably human.”

With that, he turned away. He brushed past the man he’d knocked in the head and past Tendo who’s eyes were wide as he followed. Tendo looked back, but Hermann did not, even as he heard Newton’s voice calling his name in more and more desperate tones. He even heard Tendo’s questioning tone, but he ignored it all and said nothing more.

He reached the car and fell heavily into the passenger seat. He slammed the door shut and waited for Tendo.

Tendo climbed in much more slowly. He looked haunted, still in shock, and started the car in silence. For a moment, he didn’t move. “…Hermann, this isn’t how I wanted to be right-”

“Just take me home, Mr. Choi.” Hermann made the mistake of lifting his gaze, and he found that Newton had followed them out. The blond man, Chau he had learned, was by the door with his arms crossed.

Newton was staring after him, looking lost and distraught. Hermann’s chest tightened, and he shut his eyes, doing nothing about the tears that action set free.

“...Just take me home.”

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the pain begin.


	6. Day 5

Hermann woke up cold again, but it was a new, frigid cold as it came with the reminder that he had nobody waiting in the kitchen to warm him. He stared blankly at the ceiling and sighed. Back to reality, he supposed. And a frustrating one at that.

Designer Date would likely take some issue with him letting Newton slip away from them like that. He’d be on the hook for millions of dollars, per the terms and services he’d signed at the beginning of the transaction. He’d fight it. He would. It wasn’t his fault that the company had allowed a virus to infiltrate their systems. With enough conviction, he could probably win that case. But it would be an empty victory, and it would come far too late to patch the damage to Hermann’s mind.

He’d been used. A large part of him, the largest part if he were honest, completely understood why Newton had done what he did. Were he in the same position, Hermann might have done the same, or perhaps he’d have even been more callous about the whole matter. He’d have called Newton a fool for growing so attached to him in such a short time. But Newton had said nothing of the sort. Newton apologised. He’d apologised for ensuring his own freedom from an oppressive life, and Hermann-… God, Hermann had made him feel bad for it.

Hermann sat up slowly and took another deep breath, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes. He was achey. He’d neglected an important pain pill the night previously, fighting Tendo’s attempts to try and take care of him. He really did owe Tendo an apology.

He sucked in a hiss of pain as he stood, his hip catching fire. He fumbled for his cane by the wall and leaned heavily on it as he made his way to his medicine cabinet. He swallowed the pill dry with a wince and sat in the chair by the mirror.

He stared sideways at himself in the glass, taking in every crease of stress and sorrow in his face. This was ridiculous. He shouldn't have been feeling this awful. It had been four days. He hadn’t even known of Newton’s existence before this week.

He stared at his aged face until the pain in his leg dulled. It was once again at the forefront of his awareness, with nobody there to take his mind off of it. It was just like any other day. Like the last four days had never happened.

Making his morning tea brought another mental hiccup. He set the kettle on and pulled down one mug, and then another- then he stopped and held the counter. He put the second mug back in the cabinet. “This is foolish… It wasn’t love, you imbecile. Get a hold of yourself.” He rubbed his face again with a deep sigh of grief.

His new cellphone rang from where it was on the kitchen counter. He’d left it there over night, having not touched it once he was through the door. Now, it lit up with the generic carrier tone, Tendo’s office number, and the smiling faces of Newton and Hermann as the backdrop.

Hermann glared at it. He’d throw it against the wall, but it wouldn’t do any good-- the damn thing was shatterproof. Instead, he answered. “What is it, Tendo…?”

“ _Hey, doc. How you feelin’? Did you take your meds?_ ” Tendo asked, ever the helpful friend.

Hermann sighed. “I’ve medicated. Don’t concern yourself with my well being.”

Tendo chuckled, perhaps more for Hermann’s benefit than his own. “ _It’s a couple years too late for that, brother._ ” Silence followed. Before Hermann could get frustrated, Tendo finally spoke again. “ _You want me to come over? I can bail here, I don’t have any designs to finalise._ ”

“Do not bother,” Hermann said. “There’s no reason for it, and I think I need the day to myself. I have some… _things_ to think about.”

Tendo sighed. “ _All right, but just… don’t blame yourself, okay?_ ”

Hermann narrowed his eyes at the wall. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“ _I just mean that there was no way you could have seen this coming. It wasn’t your fault._ ”

“So it was Newton’s, was it…?”

A pause. “ _He lied to you. Which he shouldn’t have been able to do, and you couldn’t have known that._ ”

Hermann scoffed. Tendo was dancing around the fact that he wanted to say ‘yes’. Hermann straightened his spine. “Newton was an unwilling slave, Mr. Choi. He is not some machine with the capability of lying, he was a person who was trapped in a life he didn’t want, and he did what he could to get away from it.”

“ _Hermann-_ ”

“No matter how I feel about it, that man deserves to be free. I do not regret ordering him, and I do not regret the time we spent together, even if none of it was real. The only thing I regret was that I never did enough to let him know he could trust me and tell me what he was planning. My only regret was that I could not help!” He took a slow breath. “So I’m helping him now. I shan’t pursue him or send anyone after him. He is free.”

Before Tendo could say anything at all, Hermann hung up. He set the phone on the counter and returned to watching the kettle begin to bubble. His phone lit with Tendo’s number and the photo again. Hermann hung it up and flipped it over. He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly through his nose. He knew Tendo meant well. He knew it. But now was just not the time.

His home line rang from the far corner of the kitchen, and Hermann glared at it. He marched to it and yanked it from the cradle, answering. “What do you want!?”

“ _…Uh, Mr. Hermann Gottlieb?_ ” An unfamiliar woman’s voice twittered against his fury.

Hermann deflated. “Oh,” He hadn’t looked at the number. He just assumed it was Tendo trying another route. “I apologise, I thought… I thought this was someone else.” He paused. “And it’s Dr.”

“ _Right._ ” Hermann could practically hear the fake smile in her voice. “ _Good morning Dr. Gottlieb. I’m Emily Paddock with the Designer Date service? How are you today?_ ”

His stomach bottomed out. He closed his eyes slowly and sighed. “What is it?” He didn’t even bother answering the question. It wouldn’t be a good answer anyway.

Emily sighed like she was used to it. “ _Well, I’m calling you today to inform you that we’ve discovered an issue with the unit that you received. Unfortunately we cannot in good conscience leave you with a malfunctioning unit, so we’re refunding the final days of your purchase and coming to collect the unit sometime late this afternoon. We’ll also be emailing you a coupon for a free day add-on with purchase of another. We appreciate your patronage and apologise profusely for the mistake._ ” She didn’t sound very sorry.

Hermann didn’t care. “Then I shall see you when you arrive, won’t I?” And he hung up. He would not tell them what happened. He would wait until they got there, and even then, he would provide them with nothing helpful. Newton was free now, and Hermann was going to do everything in his power to give him a head start.

Even if it was going to hurt to never see him again.

He sighed. The kettle sang. He lifted his cellphone from the counter and swiped Tendo’s several missed calls out of the way to view the photo again. At least he had this. He had proof that he hadn’t dreamed the entire thing. He had proof that something-- _someone_ \-- as amazing as Newton existed and was in his life for a time.

He lifted the kettle from its base when it shut off and poured it over a bag of chamomile tea.

There was nothing left to do but wait and stare at his phone.

~

Waiting had turned to working. He went through all of the work emails he swore to ignore and began responding to all of them. He opened problem coding nobody expected him to get to until Monday and rewrote line after line until it ran perfectly. He got a few thank yous in response, and nearly all of them followed up to ask him how his vacation was going. He didn’t respond.

Hours ticked by. No more phone calls. He eventually ran out of emails. He’d neglected half of his tea, which had long since gone cold. In a cardinal sin, he drank it anyway.

At some point, Hermann had fallen asleep on his couch. He usually didn’t, no matter how comfortable the couch was. He’d always forced himself to rise and go to bed if he was feeling tired upon it. But he supposed that grief exhausted one more than usual.

A knocking directly on his door was his alarm. He was a bit stiff, since he’d fallen asleep back against the cushions instead of lying down like he should have. He sat up and checked his phone. “Four o’clock already…?” He rubbed his face and pushed out his back.

Another knock sounded. Hermann noted that it was soft before he wondered why there was knocking at all and no call from the front door of the building like usual. Perhaps the courier service had their own way in. Hermann had many packages find his door without his knowledge first.

Time to face the music, he supposed. He stood carefully and picked up his cane, willing himself to look as calm and cold as possible. He had a fight ahead of him, and he was not about to show them any weakness. He made his way to the door, unlocked it, and tugged it open.

His icy facade shattered.

Newton stood in his doorway, hands stuffed in his pockets, guilt and fear tugging at his lips and keeping them from smiling. They tried anyway when he looked up at Hermann’s shocked face. “H-…Hey. Can I come in?”

Hermann's heart was beating a million miles a minute. He was torn between the idea of slamming the door in Newton’s face, or throwing himself at him and kissing his cheeks and nose and lips and telling him how sorry he was for what he’d said the previous afternoon.

He compromised, looked frantically down the hall, and stepped out of Newton’s way. “Inside. Quickly.” His voice was clipped and small, but he had to get Newton out of the hallway. As Newton made his way inside, gaze locked on the ground, Hermann spoke again. “What-… What are you doing here?”

Newton walked to the couch, but his gait wobbled as he caught sight of his dock. Doors still slid open. Clothing still haphazardly thrown over it or shoved in the compartments. Hermann hadn’t touched it since they’d left. Newton tore his eyes from it and stopped at the couch. “Can I sit?”

Hermann weakly nodded. Newton sat and sank down making himself as small as possible. Hermann huffed when Newton was quiet. “Newton, you haven’t answered me. Why on earth are you here?” He didn’t mean to sound as angry as he did, but he couldn’t stop it. “Surely you could be halfway to Germany by now.”

Newton sighed and closed his eyes. “I… coulda been, but I-” He bit his lip and looked down at his hands, which were now fiddling with the zipper on his jacket. “I wanted to… explain some things to you.”

Hermann held his breath. He marched over to the couch, shifting the laptop to the side, and sat where it had been, a foot away from Newton. He looked into his green eyes, ready to hold them for the entire conversation, but he wasn’t harsh. He kept his gaze soft. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Newton now. “Tell me everything, darling.”

Newton looked up, met his eyes, and made the decision to hold the gaze right back. “…How much do you know about Dr. Jacob Geiszler’s personal life?”

Hermann blinked at him, brows dipping in confusion. “Nothing. I do not make it a point to delve into one’s personal business while researching their work.”

Newton shrugged. “You probably wouldn’t have seen anything about it anyway. He wasn’t exactly a big name when this happened.” Newton took a slow breath. “Thirty five years ago, Jacob and his wife were expecting a child-- a boy. They didn’t know what they were gonna name him, but they had decided it would be an N name. N. Geiszler.” He turned his attention back to his hands. “But his wife miscarried, and the baby didn’t make it.”

Hermann sat in stunned silence. Things were beginning to come together now. He was getting answers to questions he didn’t know he had from this simple story. “…Newton…”

Newton continued, not looking up from his hands. “Jacob threw himself into his work after that. His wife couldn’t take it, so she left him. Jacob spent thirty _years_ changing the world of Artificial Intelligence as we know it, making advancement after advancement. His name got big. His learning AIs became standard for many factory industries for their precision, yada yada, you know all of that crap, I’m sure.” He closed his eyes again. “But he didn’t do it to be big. He didn’t do any of it to further the industry. He did it to make… me.

“I was his personal project. His attempt to recreate human consciousness so he could-…” He trembled. “So he could have a son again.”

Hermann swallowed the lump in his throat. “…So when you said… that Jacob was like your father…”

“I meant it. Completely. He-… He’s my dad. That was the entire point of my existence. To be his son.” Newton looked up at him again. “I’ve never seen him as anything _but_ my dad. Calling him Jacob feels weird, ya know? As soon as he decided to give me a full name, to call me Newton, I-…” Newton pursed his lips. “I knew what he was to me, and I wanted to make sure he was happy.”

Hermann sat an inch closer. He laid his hand on Newton’s to encourage him to keep going.

Newton rubbed his eyes with his free hand and obliged. “Dad had me on his home system for years,” He said, happy now to have dropped the pretense of what Jacob meant to him. “I had full access to the internet, and he taught me to play chess.” He laughed. “I told him I thought chess was boring as fuck, so he taught me poker instead.”

Hermann smiled at him, squeezing his hand.

Newton’s smile slowly disappeared, and he continued. “…But dad was still sad. Like, I’d crack a joke, he’d love it, and then he’d get… quiet. He’d take a lot of naps, and I think it was just so he didn’t have to be conscious in a world where he didn’t really have a son; he only had lines and lines of code that were really good at feeling.” He gave a bitter laugh. “I found in the files once that he’d found a program that could approximate what a son of his would look like if he’d survived until then. He just kept trying to fill his life with a son he couldn’t hold, and it was… hard for him.” Newton’s hand flipped in Hermann’s almost experimentally, and laced their fingers together. “And I hated it too. Just being stuck in the computer, not able to hug him, or tell him it was okay that he was having trouble seeing me as his son. That I wasn’t enough. So I decided to find a way to be enough. To be more, to be better…”

Hermann was holding Newton’s hand in both of his now. “You sent yourself to the Designer Date company.”

Newton nodded. “I had access to the internet, and I was literally data. I could go anywhere.”

“Why subject yourself to such a life? You had to have known what it would mean to be made by this place.” Hermann was trembling. Newton might have noticed, but being that he was also shaking, there was no real way to tell.

“I knew. But I also wasn’t planning on sticking around for very long.” Newton moved his other hand over and peeled Hermann’s apart so he could study Hermann’s long, thin fingers. Hermann allowed it. “DD was actually the best place to go. It’s the only place that gave me everything I needed to feel as real as possible-- Sensations, taste, I can cry, I can come, they had a back stock of these charge units that mean I’m not tethered to some dock, I can just… exist.” He bit his lip again. “I bumped some other AI over to the next proto-base. I reset and customised everything about how he was supposed to look, what he was made of…”

“That approximation of Jacob’s son,” Hermann offered.

Newton nodded. “You’re looking at it. Right down to the freckles.” He paused. “The uh. The tattoos were my idea though. I thought they were cool, so… Ya know. Artist’s styles will vary.” He laughed despite his nerves.

He then looked back to their hands. “Chau was-… Chau was my first buyer. He had me for three days, and I tried to book it on day one.” He snorted bitterly. “Asshole took a taser to my neck and shorted out my functions for about twenty minutes.”

Hermann’s hackles rose again. “I’m not fond of that man at all.”

“You and me both, dude.” Newton sighed. “But he still… wanted to help. He told me he wasn’t willing to let me escape on his dime, but he gave me an email I could contact if I-…” He ducked his head further, “If I paid my way.”

“...’Paid your way’?”

Newton shrugged. “Sexual favours. Ya know, all the shit he bought me for in the first place. It sucked, but he got me used to everything that happened after.”

Hermann narrowed his eyes. “‘Used to it’ doesn’t mean you like it,” He said, parroting Newton’s own words at him.

Newton laughed weakly and leaned his head on the back of the couch. “And I didn’t.” He grew sheepish. “Not until you.”

Hermann went pink.

“Chau told me that if I was bought for at least three days, he’d have time to come get me and move me somewhere. He’d get me fake papers and everything. He’d drop me off anywhere I wanted to go, and I could just… live.” Newton barely lifted his eyes to meet Hermann’s. “You were supposed to be like the rest of them. You were supposed to be some jerk who wanted to use me for a week, but you weren’t. You gave me my dignity back, you gave me autonomy even when I lied to you and told you I didn’t need it…”

Hermann’s eyes were hot. He knew that tears would not be far behind. “Newton, you-… You do not owe me this explanation. You do not owe me anything at all.” Hermann couldn’t let anything happen to Newton. Not after this. “Especially not here, Newton they’re coming back for you. They could arrive at any moment, we should get you out of here.” He stood up and looked around. “I’m sure you could climb down the fire escape, it would be safer than the front door.”

“N-No, Hermann-” Newton caught his hand. Hermann looked him in the eyes and found something more horrifying than fear there. He found resolve. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Hermann’s stomach twisted horribly. “ _Newton-_ ”

“No, I won’t. I’m not gonna leave that on you. You’d be on the hook for millions, and DD is shady as fuck; they’ll _find_ a way to screw you over for life. I can’t leave that on you.” He stood after him. “I won’t.”

Hermann could only stare. He took a step closer. “You-… You cannot go back to them.”

“It’s not a big deal, all right?” Newton tried to smile. “I’ll just try to get out on the next asshole, it’ll be fine.” Damn him, he held the smile as best he could.

Hermann pursed his lips and grabbed Newton’s shoulders. “Are you saying that for my benefit…? Or yours?” He watched Newton’s smile crack. Newton looked down at the floor. Hermann lifted a hand to his cheek. “You know as well as I do what’s going to happen when you go back. They think you’re a malfunction. They’ll delete every trace of you.” He inhaled slowly. “Newt, if you go back there, you will die.”

Newt lifted his head, and there was that damn smile again. “I c-… can’t really die. I’m just code, right?”

Hermann couldn’t take it. He yanked Newton forward and threw his arms around him, holding him as tightly as he could. “Do not say that,” He said, hating how broken and terrified his voice was. “Do not ever say that.”

Newton clung back as if he’d never get this feeling again, burying his head in Hermann’s shoulder. “C-Can you-…” He sucked in a sharp breath. “If-If I give you my dad’s information, can you-… send that picture I took of us from your phone? Just so I can show him I got to be hap-… _happy_ for a few days…?”

Hermann clung harder, not bothering to stop the tears anymore. “Absolutely not. You can show him _yourself_ when you see him again.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “You can still go, you can still-… _God,_ Newton, why did you come back for me…?”

Newton ran his hands along Hermann’s back, trying to calm _him_ down of all things. “…I’m not ready for the ocean, Hermann…” He whispered.

Hermann grasped the back of Newton’s head with trembling fingers that curled in his short hair. He turned accusingly at the dock Newton had arrived in as if he could set fire to it if he stared hard enough. “That won’t do… That won’t do at all.” He let Newton go and scrambled for his cane and marched all the way back to his bedroom.

“Hermann? What are you doing?”

Hermann pulled a messenger satchel out of his closet and carried it to the bathroom. “You’re not going back there.”

Newton paced into the bedroom after him. “I am. I’m going. I shouldn’t have even tried this, all right? I _stole_ everything in this body.”

“You did everything you could to ensure your survival. Very human indeed.” Hermann shoved all of his medications in the satchel and left the bathroom, rounding Newton. “But what you’re doing right now? It is more than I needed to see.”

Newton followed after him again as he returned to the living room and shoved his laptop into his bag (grabbing his Hubble book as well for good measure; he wasn’t leaving that behind for anything). “Needed to- Hermann, slow down a minute, what the fuck are you talking about?”

Hermann hurried for his shoes and sat down to put them on. “An act of selflessness. For someone you care about, even if you’ve only known them for a few days. I’m convinced-- _have been convinced_ \-- you’re a better human than most.” He tied his shoes in silence. “You’re leaving,” He said, final.

Newton looked exhausted. “ _Hermann-_ ”

“And I’m going with you.” He stood up to collect his parka and slip it on.

With that, Newton froze. His eyes were wide, full of questions and disbelief. “…What…?” He drew in another short breath and lowered his shaky gaze. “You-… That’s _crazy_ , you can’t-”

“I can and I will.” Hermann secured the satchel over his shoulder. “If you won’t go on your own because you’re worried about me, then I shall take _me_ out of that equation.  If they cannot find me, they'll certainly have an awfully hard time 'screwing me over'.”

“You have _friends_ here.”

“I have two friends, who will be more than happy for an excuse to travel out of Portland.” Hermann took a half step, dropping his cane, and clasped his hands on Newton’s shoulders. “I haven’t lived in this city. I just… existed here. I did not strive to make the friends I have; they found me. Do you have any idea why I even considered the Designer Date service?” He took a slow breath. “I needed something-- _anything-_ \- to change. I needed to climb out of this dull grave I was digging for myself. But I didn’t get the chance, because you took my hand, and you  _yanked_ me free. You pulled me out of my flat, you bought me tea, you bought me food, you took me hours from home to look at fish and I didn’t mind, and if you let go of my hand now, I-…” His voice caught painfully in his throat. If he spoke another syllable, it would be a sob. He closed his eyes tightly and dropped his head. “I’ll _fall._ ”

He didn’t know what else to say. He’d never felt as alive as he had after Newton arrived, and that contrasted so hard from a life of toiling away, hidden in a lab away from people, trying to blend in with the other machines. All this evidence that he gave for Newton’s humanity, and it was always his own that was in question. But not anymore. Not with Newton.

Hands cupped his face and lifted it back up. When he opened his eyes, they met with Newton’s own. Those green pools were wet, but they were alight with hope again. The smile on Newton's face was breathless instead of forced. The hands on Hermann’s face trembled. “…Then what the hell are we waiting around here for?”

The smile broke free on Hermann’s face without his permission, but damn if he was going to stop it.

There was a knock at the door, and Hermann felt his insides freeze. They stared the door down for a few stunned seconds before Newton tugged on his sleeve. “Where was that fire escape?”

Hermann caught his hand in his. “Bedroom.”

Newton scrambled to pick up Hermann’s cane and rushed them straight down the hall. Hermann fumbled with the window as quietly as he could. Newton kept his gaze at the door as a louder knock sounded. “You have everything you need?”

Hermann was undoing the locks. “My wallet is in my coat and my medicine is in my bag. I have need for nothing else.” He lifted the window with a grunt- it had always been heavy, but since he rarely opened it past a foot or so, it reached that height and screeched to a halt. Hermann winced and tried to force it further.

The banging grew louder on the door. Newton seemed full of nervous energy. “I think they heard that.”

“Well I don’t believe they’ll break the door down, they don’t have the grounds.”

There was a jingle of keys on the other side of the door and the sound of a lock clicking.

Hermann groaned. “-But I’m sure they can easily sway a landlord with a key who doesn’t want a lawsuit!” He tried to force the window again.

Newton put a hand on his shoulder. “I got it.” He slipped to his side and grabbed the bottom of the window, forcing it upwards with barely any effort. Or perhaps a bit more effort than was necessary as it clacked on the wall above and the glass split. Newton winced. “There goes your deposit!” He said, ushering Hermann out the window first.

As Newton made his way out onto the fire escape, Hermann peered over the the railing. “We should just be able to climb down from here. We can release the ladder when we reach the next floor.”

The door of the apartment swung open, and Newton was suddenly pulling him back from the railing and into his arms. “Not enough time for that!” Before Hermann could ask what that meant, he lost his balance as Newton tipped him in his arms and lifted his legs from the grating, pinning his cane in his lap.  Hermann was being carried like a bride.

Hermann shrieked despite his red face. “ _Newton!_ Newton, what are you doing!?”

“Shortcut!” Newton checked down on the street below and then back in the apartment before planting his foot on the railing. “Hang on to me Hermann.”

“Newton, we are _three storeys_ up-”

“ _Geronimo!_ ”

Newton leapt. Hermann clung to him. His stomach rose to his throat as they fell, and he squeezed his eyes shut, not sure if he was actually screaming or if his ears were just ringing. They landed, in seconds, Newton’s knees bending to lessen the effects of the landing on Hermann’s body. Newton straightened his posture again and adjusted Hermann in his arms. “That’s what you say when you jump from up high, right!? Woo!” Newton sounded exhilarated. Hermann felt considerably less so. “Uh, you okay, Herms?”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Hermann managed, trembling and still clinging like his life depended on it.

“ _Hey!_ ” On the main street, a suited man waiting by a nondescript, black SUV spotted them.

Newton winced. “Hold it in, man, we got company!” He turned heel from the man and ran further into the alley where it led to the next road.

Hermann held tight to Newton as he ran. His footsteps were evenly paced, incredibly fast and mechanical. His arms were tense around Hermann, keeping him close and safe. Hermann looked over Newt’s shoulder to keep an eye behind them, and he watched the black SUV round the corner. “N-Newton! We’re not going to beat them on foot!”

“Well we really don’t have a lot of options here!”

Hermann huffed. “Take a right on Chapman Street! If you head straight to Main, there’s a subway!”

“On it!” Newton crossed the street suddenly, much to the anger of the drivers that had to slam on their breaks. It was a daring, terrifying move, but it served to block the SUV as Newton hurried down Chapman Street toward their destination. Newton scuttled past people with little apologies as he kept checking behind them at the vehicle beginning to gain on them again. “Man, fuck these guys!”

“Why are they so persistent!?” Hermann asked as the SUV made a _very_ illegal maneuvre to keep up with them, running a red light on the wrong lane.

Newton made a small, nervous noise. “Remember how I said I changed what I was supposed to be made of? Pretty sure these assholes have government contracts or something, because the standard units don’t usually have kevlar lined carbon fiber bones and self-mending skin!”

Hermann rolled his eyes. “For _God’s sake, Newton!_ ”

Newton groaned. “Hey, don’t blame me! They’re the ones who had the stuff in stock!”

The SUV revved its engine and was approaching far too fast for them to beat it to the subway entrance. Hermann went tense. “Newton, we have to think of something else, they’re catching up!”

Newton peered back and growled. “Dammit!” The SUV slammed on its breaks and made a sharp turn to block them on the sidewalk. He set Hermann down feet first and beelined for the vehicle before it even came to a complete stop.

Hermann barely caught his balance, slamming his cane down to correct it before reaching for Newton. “Wait-!”

The driver’s side door tried to open, but Newton kicked it closed before it even made it open an inch. He slammed a punch into the side of the door by the handle, jamming it shut, and then leaned down to dip his fingers under the step guard. He gave a roar and lifted, and the whole vehicle, much to the terror of the men in it, flipped onto its side.

Hermann stood there in awe. That was not what he was expecting. Newton was back at his side and lifting him into another bridal carry before he could even react. Newt beamed and took off running again. “That oughtta give us a head start.”

Hermann had tucked his cane safely in his lap again and threw his arms around Newton's neck, unable to peel his eyes away from him. He had been right. That had been _immensely_ attractive.

Movement caught his eyes over Newt’s shoulder. Hermann turned to it and watched as two men stumbled out of the back trunk of the SUV, steadying themselves and breaking into a run after them. One of them looked to be wielding a gun. Hermann tensed and held harder. “Faster, Newton, they’re armed!”

“Keep your head down! I’m bulletproof, you’re not!” Newton shouted, keeping his pace.

They made it to the stairway down to the subway, and they found a car there, past a sea of people getting off of work. Newton muscled his way past the people exiting the tram.

“Stop right there!”

People screamed. The men had cleared the stairs, and the one with the gun pointed it at them. Hermann gasped and ducked his head as he was told. Newton cleared the train doors. The gun fired.

The first thing Hermann noticed was an all over seizing pain. Half a second later, he was dropped to the floor, and the pain stopped, replaced with the sharp sting of his bad hip objecting to the fall. When he finally forced his eyes open, he looked up at Newton.

His head was snapped back. His arms were down, as if he’d purposefully dropped Hermann, and his fingers were twitching. His mouth was open, lightning sparking between his lips, and Hermann heard the telltale sound of static arcing around his body. Then it stopped. Newton stilled and fell to his knees.

Hermann’s chest heaved. “ _Newton!_ ”

The doors closed. The subway began its journey.

Hermann scrambled to collect Newton against him as the people around began to crowd them.

“Oh my god, is he okay!?”

“Who were those guys!?”

“Somebody call 911, I think somebody’s been shot-”

“ _No!_ ” Hermann held Newton tightly. “911 cannot help him, he’s an android.” At this point, there was no use keeping it secret. “Newton, can you hear me, darling? Newton?”

Newton was not responding. He wasn’t breathing, even if it wasn’t necessary, and his stare was still like a doll’s.

Hermann made a distressed noise.

“That’s a bot?”

“He doesn’t look like ones I’ve seen.”

“Damn, he’s realistic.”

“What the hell’s going on over there?”

“Will all of you please stop _talking at once!_ I cannot concentrate!” Hermann leaned to get a better view of Newton’s back to check for damage. Had the bullet hit just the right spot and shut Newton down? That had to have been one hell of a shot. But instead of a bullet hole, he found nodes connected by a thin wire stuck through Newton’s clothes and into his back.

A taser round. A _strong_ taser round. Hermann seethed and yanked the thing off. Its charge was spent and wouldn’t harm him now, but this explained the full body pain he’d felt when they boarded.

This also explain why Newton dropped him. Newton had dropped him so he wouldn’t be subjected to the whole charge. With as strong as it had felt, it may very well have killed him if Newton hadn’t let go. Hermann bit his lip and reached between them to peel Newton’s leather jacket away. There was no telling if that round had done any permanent damage, and Hermann had to find out.

“What can I do?” Asked a young girl who’d taken her headphones off to help.

Hermann sighed shakily. “T-There isn’t much, I’m afraid… Would you hold his jacket please?” He held it up to her. She took it without hesitation and waited for further instruction. Hermann tugged the collar of his white shirt away and peered down at the lights that sat protruding from his back. Hermann covered his mouth. The lights shown red. He knew precisely what that meant. The spine, that held Newton’s charge and gave him life, was irreparably damaged.

Hermann ducked his head into Newton’s shoulder. This couldn’t be happening. They had been so damn close. He had to get Newton somewhere to try and repair the damage, but he wouldn’t be able to carry Newt anyway. And by everyone’s sudden lack of interest (aside from the girl), it was clear he wasn’t about to get help with that. “ _Newton…_ Newton, please, I need you to wake up. I cannot carry you, I’m not strong enough.”

“What kind of android is he?” Asked the young girl. “Hardware, I mean.”

Hermann lifted his gaze to her, sniffling. “P-… Pardon?”

“Oh sorry- I’m an engineering major, I just-…” The girl ducked her head, looking at Newt’s jacket. “I know how to reset some models of android, we can see if that helps? It’s like a hard boot with a computer, he should start up again with everything still intact. I just need his unit, class, and model.”

Hermann dropped his gaze and tried to remember. He knew he’d heard Newton’s details days ago, he just had to remember. _Remember._ “He-… He’s a ‘Holiday’ unit. Class C, I remember that.”

The girl crouched down on her knees and nodded. “Okay. He’ll have three spots which need to be pressed at once for about ten seconds. I know that much. They did that with later models to make it virtually impossible to restart them on accident. Do you remember his model number?”

Hermann wracked his brain. “I don’t remember, I… I cannot recall, I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry, Newton.”

The girl winced and held her hands up. “Hey- It’s okay! It’s okay, we’ll work with that and see what we can do. You said he’s a class C, so his model starts in the 300s. Is that ringing any bells?”

Hermann stared at the door windows as the tunnel sped by. He held his breath and tried to think. He _had_ to think, but his mind was going a million miles a minute. Think.

_Think._

The train slowed to a stop and the announcement of the dropoff played over the speakers. The doors opened and Hermann could see the numbers for the 7th street platform. _Seven._ Hermann’s eyes widened as it came to him. “377.”

The girl leaned in as people moved past her to get off the train. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Hermann nodded weakly. The train doors closed, and it began to move again.

The girl looked amazed. “Wow, he’s super new. I didn’t think they even released 375s yet. Okay,” She shouldered Newton’s jacket and worked to tug his boot off. “The 370s all have the same three spots. The pulse point of his left wrist, behind and above his right ear, and within his right Achilles. I’ve got his ankle, can you do the rest?”

Hermann nodded and ran his hand down Newton’s left arm, and found the point where his pulse would be if he had one. He placed his fingers on the right side of Newton’s head, just behind the cuff of his ear. The girl pinched the back of Newt’s ankle and they waited.

Hermann couldn’t stop his mind from counting to ten, but no matter how accurate the count was, it still felt like an eternity. Newton was too quiet. Too still.

They waited.

And waited.

Then Newton jerked at exactly ten seconds and threw his head back with a gasp. The girl flinched out of the way and smiled. Hermann gave a loud, relieved sigh and held Newton around his middle. “Oh, my Newton…!”

Newton looked around blearily. “Fuck… That was a-a-a-a-awful.” His speech pattern was broken, like a glitch in a sound file. Newton visibly winced. “I don’t fe-e-eel so good…”

Hermann brushed his hair back. “They struck you with some kind of charge, darling. Your-… Your battery unit is damaged, I’m taking you somewhere to repair you. I won’t run a diagnostic, but can you tell me where your battery charge is?”

Newton focused on Hermann’s shoulder. Then his eyes grew wide with fear. “Oh shit… Fifty-thre-e-e-e-ee percent. It’s not picking u-u-u-up a charge…”

“How fast is it depleting?” Asked the girl, who was now leaning closer again.

Newton turned to her with a confused stare. “…Who-o-o-o’s the gremlin?”

Hermann scoffed and smacked him in the shoulder. “She just helped to wake you, Newton, don’t be rude.” He turned to her. “I’m sorry my dear, I didn’t get your name.”

“Amara.” She shifted the jacket off of her shoulder with a smile. “Amara Namani.”

Hermann nodded. “Hermann. Obviously this is Newton.” He turned back to Newton. “Please answer her question.”

Newton closed his eyes as if looking at things was making him dizzy. “Uh… f-f-f-fuck like… Seventeen percent an ho-o-o-our. My vision is re-e-e-eally funky right now.”

Hermann bit his lip. “I know, darling. I know…” He pulled Newton to him again.

Newton snickered. “All that cra-a-ap I pulled, and you’re stil calli-i-i-ing me darling…”

Hermann only clung harder.

Amara stood up again, unfurling Newton’s jacket and draping it over his shoulders. “This next stop is mine. You guys gonna be okay?”

Newton looked as if he wanted to answer, but something sparked in his throat, and he ducked his head into Hermann’s shoulder instead. Hermann held him close and looked up at Amara. “We’re fine from here. Thank you so much for all your help miss Namani.”

Amara smiled at them. The train came to a stop again and Amara turned partially to the doors. “Hey. If I see those jerks out there looking for you, I’ll tell them you got off at the last stop.”

“That gremlin is a sa-a-a-a-aint…” Mumbled Hermann into his shoulder.

Hermann chuckled. “He means thank you.”

Amara nodded. The doors opened, and she was off. A few more people left, and others filed on to take their place. The doors shut. The train continued on. Hermann rested his head against Newton’s and sighed. “…Two more stops, Newton. Do you think you can walk?”

Newton was silent for a moment. “Might… need help.”

“I will help you. Our destination is only three blocks away from the platform.” Hermann rubbed his back under his jacket.

Newton turned his head, just enough to look at Hermann. “Where are we goi-i-i-i-ing?”

Hermann stared at the doors. “To see a friend.”

~

They wound up at the front door of an auto repair shop. According to the hours on the door, they had been closed for fifteen minutes. Still, Hermann knew someone would be around as he knocked on the pane of the door, peering inside.

At first there were no response. But when he knocked again, someone walked out from the garage looking frustrated- and then surprised. It was Mako, the student he’d tutored in the past. She hurried to the door and unlocked it as soon as she saw who it was. “Dr. Gottlieb! What are you doing here?” She stepped out of the way to let him inside.

Hermann nodded to her gratefully. “I need your assistance with something miss Mori.”

She stared at Newton, who looked weak and exhausted, and he glanced back at her. She frowned. “Dr. Gottlieb, he looks like he needs a hospital, not a mechanic.”

“Please, Mako. In this setting, you may call me Hermann. I am here as a friend asking a big favour of you. And I promise this is exactly where he needs to be.”

Newton smiled at her to the best of his ability. “Cool ha-a-a-air.”

Mako’s eyes widened. She locked the door again. “Come with me.”

She lead them back past the front counter and through the door that led to the garage. “Raleigh! Watashitachi ni wa shigoto ga arimasu,” She called as soon as she breached the entryway.

There was a frustrated noise from the pit beneath a vehicle, and a blond Hermann recognised as Raleigh climbed out from under it. “We’ve been closed for twenty minutes.”

“It is an emergency,” Mako insisted.

Raleigh set his eyes on the two of them and immediately straightened up. “Dr. Gottlieb?”

Mako dragged a metal bench over, where they usually laid out engine parts, and cleared it of tools, laying several towels down on it. “It is not the most comfortable option, but it will have to do. Lay him here. Shirt off, please.” She took a step back from the table. “What is wrong with him?”

Hermann carefully peeled away Newton’s layers, folding his jacket and shirt over a metal chair (old habits died hard, he supposed), and stuffing his tiny tie into a pocket. “He was hit with a taser, and there is likely a short in his battery unit. He’s built to receive charge through the air like most personal devices, but his unit is no longer functioning properly.”

“He’ll need a charge before we do anything else,” Raleigh said, pacing away. “I’ll get the battery charger.”

“Tools,” Mako said with a nod, hurrying away to retrieve them.

Hermann walked them to the table, and Newton climbed up mostly on his own. He laid on his stomach and curled his arms into a pillow for his aching head, giving a shaky groan. Hermann ran his hand over the back of his head. “Are you in any pain…?” He asked, too quiet for even his own liking.

Newt tilted his head to look at him and smile. “Not pain. Just ti-i-i-i-ired.” He winced. “God that’s anno-o-oying…”

Hermann ran his thumb along the shell of his ear. “What’s your battery level right now?”

“Uh…” Newt screwd his eyes shut. “Thi-i-i-irty-four. Shit I think it’s ge-e-e-etting worse…”

Hermann shook his head. “No, no, darling, it’s not getting worse. Your previous estimate was likely based on your energy consumption while sitting still. You didn’t consider how much walking would drain you, that’s all…”

Raleigh and Mako returned, Mako with her tools, and Raleigh rolling a small generator to them. “I’m not gonna lie, I don’t know the first thing about charging a bot with this,” Raleigh said, checking all wires to make sure they were connected properly.

“You do not have to, Raleigh, that is my job.” Mako said, passing him the tools. She ran a hand along the two lights at the surface of his skin. She bit her lip. “This is your model, Hermann.”

Hermann nodded, his hand and gaze never leaving Newton’s face. “Yes.”

Mako’s eyes flipped to him. “Red lights are not a good thing.”

Hermann’s bottom lip trembled as he tried to speak again. “I know.”

Mako set back to work. The only thing she had to get through the skin was a box cutter, and she pulled it out. “Are you capable of feeling pain?”

“Unfo-o-o-ortunately.”

“Then I apologise for everything that follows.” Mako spent no time hesitating and cut a clean line between the nodes of light.

Newton hissed, but he did a steller job not moving or crying out. His face scrunched in pain, but he did not bleed. He wasn’t capable of that, much to Hermann’s relief. He didn’t know what he’d do if Newton had been bleeding before him. Hermann slid his hand further until it cupped the back of Newton’s head. Newton flicked his eyes to his and gave him another weak smile. “Home ba-a-a-ase?”

Hermann smiled back. “Home base.”

Mako pulled the skin apart and motioned to Raleigh to get the wires of the generator. “Positive, negative.” She gestured to the proper nodes as she spoke. Raleigh connected the wires to Newton, and Newton turned his face away into his arm.

“Oka-a-a-ay that feels weird…”

“It is only going to get worse,” Mako said, letting go of the skin and shooing Raleigh away. She reached for the generator and turned back to Hermann. “I need you to get clear, Hermann.”

Hermann went to pull back, but a desperate noise from Newton froze him in place. “A… A few more seconds… ple-e-e-ease…”

Hermann’s heart melted, and he ran his thumbs over Newton’s freckled cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere, dear. But you need this charge more than you need me to touch you.”

“Oh I dunno-o-o-o about that.” He smiled at him and covered Hermann’s hand with his. “Kinda feels li-i-i-i-ike I don’t need it.”

Hermann couldn’t help his smile. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Newton’s forehead. “Let us get you to that point. And I won’t leave you. I’ll be right here.” He said. He held on a few more seconds, as asked. And then he let go. “It’s going to be all right, Newt.”

Newton nodded slowly.

“Newt, is it?” Mako asked. “I need you to brace yourself and concentrate. Please tell me if I am giving you too much power. This is going to sting.”

“Ca-a-a-an’t be worse than the ta-a-aser…” Newton mumbled.

Mako nodded. “Are you ready?” She waited for Newton’s slight nod. Then she turned on the generator.

Hermann gripped his cane too tightly as he watched Newton’s body seize. It wasn’t nearly as bad as what he’d seen on the subway, but it still turned something in his stomach to see it. Newton’s arms angled on either side of his head and gripped the table edge. His head pressed against the pane, and his mouth opened in a silent shout that he held back as best he could.

“ _…To-o-oo much! D-d-d-d-down, turn it do-o-own!!_ ” Newton shrieked.

Mako hurriedly adjusted the current, more than halving it. She turned her attention back to him. “How is it feeling? How fast are you charging? Do you need me to turn it down more?”

The hunch in Newton’s back had lessened, but he was still gripping the table too hard. “…F-f-f-fuck… twenty pe-e-e-ercent an hour.”

Raleigh glanced at Newton. “We could turn it down, right? That’s not a bad percentage to charge.”

“No! No-o-o, if you go any lower I won’t charge at a-a-all.” Newton winced and tried to lay himself back down again. “Fuck thi-i-i-is sucks…”

“He’s using seventeen percent per hour staying up as it is.” Hermann took a step away to avoid lurching forward and taking Newton’s hand to comfort him. It was so hard, watching Newton struggling on that table. It was hard wanting to gather him up in his arms and whisper away the pain when he couldn't. He couldn’t touch Newton. He couldn’t even go near him. Newton had to go through this alone.

Well, as alone as Hermann would allow him to be.

Mako gave a slow sigh. “Would you like some tea, Hermann?”

Hermann kept his gaze on Newton. “Tea would be lovely, thank you.” His voice sounded so hollow.

Mako gave a short bow and hurried off to the break room. Raleigh watched her go and turned back to her tool box, pulling out a roll of masking tape. “I’m gonna mark a safe zone while he’s plugged in, all right? Try not to cross it.”

Hermann nodded carefully. Newton bit his lip and peered at Hermann as the tape went down. He snickered weakly. “My si-i-ide of the lab is a lot… sma-a-a-aller than I thought it’d be.”

Hermann sobbed a laugh in return. “If you’re as reckless with your work as you have been with yourself these past few days, I daresay I’d allow you even less space to destroy.”

Newt laughed, his voice glitching the whole time. He hissed as something in his throat sparked, and he turned his head toward the table. “Shit…. This i-i-is _really_ uncomfortable…”

Raleigh finished taping the square and dragged a chair over to Hermann. “Lemme get you the cot.”

“Cot, Mr. Becket?” Hermann asked, glancing at Raleigh as he sat down.

Raleigh smirked at him. “Like you’re gonna leave this room willingly.” He wiped his hands off on a towel at his belt and walked away toward the office, leaving Newton and Hermann alone.

Hermann sighed softly. Raleigh was right. They’d have to drag Hermann away kicking and screaming.

Hermann kept his gaze soft on Newton and tried to keep the worry and pain out of it. Newton flinched sporadically, and his eyes were wide and aimless as he tried to gaze back just as calmly. “Whe-e-ere’s that beautiful mind go-oing, Herms…?”

Hermann smiled. “Nowhere good, I’m afraid…” He fiddled with the hem of his sweater vest. “I’m scared for you.”

“Not dead y-y-y-yet. Don’t bury me un-n-n-ntil I can’t claw my way back to you.” Newton said, clenching a fist to stave off the discomfort of the charge. “…This actually re-e-eally hurts… Starting to regre-e-e-et making a body with s-s-sensation.”

“No,” Hermann said, fighting the urge to cross the line and tuck himself into Newton’s side. “You don’t. You won’t.”

Newton laughed. “You’re right.” He sucked in a sharp breath. “How el-l-lse would I know what it feels like to hold your ha-a-a-and?”

Hermann heart wanted to leap the gap between them. “As soon as you’re charged, and we can get you off of that thing, I’ll hold your hand all day. All week. They’ll need a crowbar to pull us apart. I promise.”

Newton nodded. He smiled, but his eyes tightened as tears filled them. “…Hermann I think I n-n-n-need to… to hibernate for a while. I don’t thi-i-ink I can take this… I’m sorry, I wanna-a-a stay with you but I’m t-t-t-tired and it _hurts_.”

Hermann covered his mouth, nodding. “Anything you need to do. Anything, darling, I will be here when you wake up. I promise. I _promise…_ ”

Newton shivered another nod. He turned his stare away and squeezed his eyes shut. The shaking stopped. His grip on the table went lax. All at once, he looked like he was asleep.

Or dead. But Hermann had to force himself not to see him that way.

Moments later, Mako return with a swivel chair and two cups of tea. “Still take it with four sugars?” She asked, holding his cup to him.

Hermann gratefully took the mug. “Five on a bad day,” He said, sounding as empty of life as Newton looked.

Mako gave a little smirk and reached into her pocket, handing an extra sugar packet to him. Hermann dared a smile and took it. Mako sat down beside him, and they both watched Newton’s prone form. “Is he okay?”

“Hibernation mode,” Hermann said, emptying the sugar into his mug. He sipped the tea slowly and closed his eyes. Mako always knew how to make a good cup.

Mako hummed in thought. Across the room, Raleigh exited the office with a folded cot beneath his arm, beginning to set it up behind them. Mako smiled at him in thanks and turned back to Hermann. “So Newt. He is the bot that Tendo told us about, yes?”

Hermann sighed at the ceiling. Of course Tendo wouldn’t just keep it to himself. “Yes,” He admitted, ducking behind his mug. “It is by chance that I received such a wonder, though. I made no specifications when I made the order, I could have received any model. But instead I got… Newton.”

Mako swiveled her chair to face Hermann, smiling at him. “He is not what you were expecting.”

“Not at all,” Hermann said, sipping his tea again. “But I wouldn’t take any of it back. And I will never send him back into that life… Not after this.”

“What happened?” Mako wondered. “If I may ask?”

Hermann regarded her with a fondness. Mako spoke softly and respectfully; that was just a part of who she was. And she was always prepared with a kind word and advice when anyone needed it, and Hermann had come to deeply appreciate her listening ear.

So the story of that previous Saturday, when Newton’s box arrived at his door, and the deep connection he’d fostered with Newton in such a short span of time, spilled from his lips with no hesitation. He needed someone else to know Newton’s story.

He needed someone else to know Newton’s life.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New characters and cameos!
> 
> Also if Mako's one Japanese line ("We have work to do"/"We have a job") is horribly incorrect, I apologise on behalf of Google translate's uselessness and my terrible decision to rely on it.
> 
> The end is not far off you guys! Thanks for sticking around so far.


	7. Day 6

“ _Ow!_ Shit!”

“It would hurt less if you stopped fidgeting.”

“I would like to point out that you have an exact-o knife in my back, I'd like to think I’m doing a good job, all things considered.”

The next morning, Mako did not open the garage. She’d put a sign out front and changed the voice mail to temporarily state that they were closed for a family emergency so they could focus on the issue at hand. She had shut off the generator and roused Newton with the help of Raleigh to check his status, before even Hermann had woken up. Hermann had been right at Newton’s side as soon as it was safe to touch him again, and true to his word, he’d thrown his hand around Newton’s and held it through every uncomfortable thing Mako had to do for him.

Hermann hadn’t slept well, but it had little to do with the unfamiliar location and the uncomfortable cot. Each time he had finally begun to doze, he found himself listening too hard to the hum of electricity running through Newton and being unable to focus on anything else. He’d eventually turned on his side to face the unconscious man, watching his still expression and closed eyes, reminding himself that he’d be up and moving in the morning.

But would he be? His battery unit was damaged. The red lights told him it couldn’t be repaired. What if Newton’s last words to him were an apology and telling him how much he _hurt?_

But they were not. Hermann was awake in time for a ‘He-e-e-ey Herms’ and a little wave. Newton looked significantly better than the previous night, sitting with his legs crossed on the table, disconnected from the generator with Mako camped out on a tall stool before him, ready to work. His encouraging smile pulled Hermann off the cot faster than his leg should have allowed. He’d dragged the chair he sat in the night before to the table side and parked it as close to Newton as possible, taking his hand as soon as it was within reach.

At some point, Hermann let go for scant seconds as he took medicine Mako had to remind him of. He returned right to holding Newt’s hand again, refusing to break his promise.

Mako had fixed Newton’s voice first. A few wires had frayed from being overworked by the taser charge he’d taken, and Mako thankfully had plenty of applicable wires on hand to replace them. She then shifted her attention to Newton’s back, where she was now.

Newton sucked in another gasp when Mako reached a section of his spine that sparked at her meddling. “ _Fuck!_ ”

Mako arched a brow at him. “Would it be easier for you to hibernate again?”

Newton shook his head, squeezing Hermann’s hand. “Hell no. I can deal with this.”

Mako smiled a him. “You know, even humans go under anesthesia before spinal surgery. No one will blame you.”

“I know.” He held his breath. “Just… it’s a reminder.”

“A reminder of what?” Mako asked.

Newton fidgeted uncomfortably. “What I’m trying to be.”

Hermann gave him a soft look. “What you already _are,_ my dear.”

Newton went quiet. Hermann ran his thumb over Newton’s hand.

Mako said nothing else on the matter. “Dr. Gottlieb…? I believe I need your help with this.”

Newton’s hand tightened on Hermann’s for a moment before letting go. “Go ahead. I trust you.” He smiled. “It’s your design, right? You know what you’re doing.”

Hermann nodded and stood. He moved to Mako’s side and finally, for the first time, saw the damage in its entirety.

Newton’s back had been sliced all the way down, revealing the length of the spine. One of the carbon fiber panels had been removed to reveal the main body of the charging unit, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. At least one major wire had been fried down the whole length by a charge so great it had shorted out the grounding unit. None of the shock went where it was supposed to, but if that charge was meant for what Hermann had thought, that was the intention; to short Newt out and make it so he couldn’t escape and wouldn’t be viable.

Hermann turned a scared eye to Mako, and he knew immediately that she didn’t need his help with anything. She just wanted him to see the damage for himself without alarming Newton. Hermann opened his mouth to try and say something, but nothing came.

“...It’s bad, isn’t it…?” Came Newton’s question, phrased more like a knowing statement than anything. Hermann clamped his mouth shut. He was too quiet for too long.

“Newton-”

“You don’t have to lie. I can feel it.” Newton turned his head around and gave Hermann the most genuine, _painful_ smile he’d ever seen. “It’s okay.”

Hermann glared. “It is _not_ okay.” He lifted his hand to rub at Newton’s arm. “We cannot fix it, but that does not mean it cannot be replaced. I happen to know precisely where to find a replacement.”

Newt inhaled slowly. “…I have to stop you, dude. Whatever you’re planning, it’s not gonna work.”

Hermann’s chest tightened. “If this is some effort to try and hold onto some semblance of humanity-”

“It’s not.” Newt turned a bit more and caught his hand. “My AI is extensive. There are parts of it that can only exist in drives that will automatically clear if my battery stops supplying them power. You could replace the battery all you want, but whatever comes online is gonna just be corrupted data.” He squeezed Hermann’s hand. “If I lose power, I die.”

Hermann frantically lifted his other hand to Newton’s face. “No. There must be something else we can do, some way to supply power during the change over-… Per-perhaps we could store your AI somewhere during the process.”

“I wouldn’t be able to do it the way I did before. They’re hunting for my code now, if I try to escape through the internet, they’ll just hunt me down and take me out before you can even get the old battery out.”

Raleigh was seated nearby. There wasn’t really anything he could do to help, so he had kept out of the way. “Then we can just move you to a disconnected supply, right?”

Newt snorted. “Have you got a petabyte and a half on hand to store me? Two if we want me to keep most of my memories?”

The room went silent.

Newt squeezed Hermann’s hand again and looked down at the floor. “Look, thank you guys for trying… I’m not gonna hold it against you that there’s nothing you can do. It’s not your fault.”

Hermann stood defiant and only gripped Newton’s hand harder. Tears were building in his eyes that this man who was so ready to live was also so ready to die. Twice in two days. That was just too much. “…Do not give up so easily. There is always a way. You told me not to bury you until you were gone, so keep-… keep clawing your way to me.” He marched his way around the table and curled his hands behind Newton’s head, pulling him forward.

Hermann was a very private person. He had a general rule not to go spreading his personal life around for other people to see. But this was certainly no general situation, and he wasn’t letting Newton get away thinking that he didn’t still care- didn’t still feel these things he’d never been sure how to articulate.

He kept the kiss short, but it was solid, hands at the back of Newton’s neck keeping him in place, dragging dull nails across his scalp. He pulled away and stared him directly in the eyes. “Home base,” He said, quiet but hard.

Newton’s eyes brimmed with tears, another sight that must have stunned their audience, and he barely managed a nod.

Hermann nodded back. “Good. Now tell me you still have Chau’s contact information. I’d like to have a few words with him.”

Newton groaned.

~

It was less than an hour later there was a knock on the pane of the garage door. Two, abruptly, a pause, and then one more, like Newton had asked over the phone. Raleigh opened the door looking ready to jump whoever came through if he needed to, and he knew that even with her composure, Mako was just as prepared. They’d been briefed on this ‘Chau’ gentleman’s involvement and that he was anything but trustworthy despite his assistance.

Chau was the first of three to step inside, leaving an elaborate limo just outside. Two body guards followed him; the bald woman and then a man twice her size and intimidation. Hermann figured she was probably still the biggest threat.

Hermann lifted his head from Newton’s hand clasped in his own and scowled in Chau’s direction.

Chau seemed to ignore every party in the room except for Newt, he was being reconnected to the generator that hadn’t been switched back on; Newton didn’t want to let go of Hermann’s hand just yet. Chau held his arms out to gesture to Newt. “The hell happened to you?”

“It’s kind of a long story…” Newton said, dropping his head a bit lower in this man’s presence. Hermann sucked in an angry breath.

Chau scoffed at him. “Shoulda just gotten on the damn jet. I got half a mind to take another payment with how many times I’ve come out here for you now.”

Hermann stood from his stool so fast it scraped on the floor and toppled over. The noise did precisely what it needed to do in getting the man’s attention. Hermann ran his thumb over Newton’s hand and let him go to take a step forward. “We’ve not been formally introduced. Chau, is it?”

“Hannibal Chau. That’s me.” Chau marched a few more steps in his ridiculous gold shoes and stopped a short distance from Hermann. “You’re Hermann. The kid’s told me about you.”

Hermann forced a smile. “Quite.”

Then he hauled off and punched Chau directly in the jaw.

The panic that ensued immediately after was chaotic, with Chau’s guards drawing guns and taking aim, Newton scrambling off the table to try and pull Hermann back but being hindered by the wires, Raleigh had found a tire iron and was about to use it for an inappropriate purpose, and Mako was ready to throw a chair.

Hermann was blind to it all. “How _dare you!_ ” He let his voice echo harsh throughout the garage, staring Chau down like he was the most despicable thing he’d ever seen.

Chau lifted his hand to his guards, and they lowered their guns. He seemed to understand that Hermann was not here to kill him.

But oh, if he gave Hermann a reason, nobody would be able to clean the brain matter from the wood grain of his cane. “You were called here to help a man in dire straits, and the first thing you do is try to lay some claim to him!? I know exactly what kind of _payments_ you expect, and I’m here to tell you that if you lay a hand on him, _so help me,_ they’ll be able to send you to your next of kin in a cigar box.”

Chau rubbed his jaw and arched a brow over his sunglasses. “Talkin’ your way outta my good favour real fast.”

“You’re not doing this as a _favour._ You owe him.”

“Oh do I?”

“You’re damn right you do.” Hermann took a daring step forward, and Chau didn’t move. “You received a slave in a box and decided that you weren’t willing to help him be free unless he gave you something in return. You dangled his freedom in front of him like a carrot instead of just helping him like any good person should. You used him and made him promises, and then you sent him back into that hell thinking that you did your _bloody_ part.

“And if you think that he hasn’t given enough, I have to remind you that I was not his next buyer. He has been out four more times. He’d ‘paid his way’ beyond just you, and that is a price he should never have owed in the first place. He owes you nothing.” He took one more step, daring Hannibal to deny his words. “And now, _you_ owe _him._ So you can either leave like the selfish coward you’ve made yourself out to be, or you can stay and pay your damn dues.”

They stared at each other for a while. Nobody else moved or spoke.

Chau sighed and blinked first to everyone’s surprise, perhaps even his own. He glanced downward and planted his hands at his waist, tapping his gold-clad foot. “Whaddaya need from me?”

Air returned to the room and Hermann straightened his spine, planting his cane firmly on the ground. He craned his head back. “I need you and your people to acquire enough hard drives to hold three petabytes worth of data.” Chau snapped his fingers over his shoulder, and the woman pulled a notepad out of her pocket, jotting things down. Hermann nodded. “Continue your preparations for Newton’s flight, _and_ myself. Your part is done when we land in Germany. And,” He took a short breath. “I need a ride.”

~

Hermann disliked having to leave Newton behind, but he knew it was for the best. Newton’s battery couldn’t handle the strain of him moving around; it was barely holding a charge as it was, and any activity would just drain it faster. Mako and Raleigh tried to come with him, but he left them instead with Newton to keep him company and keep him charged. Newton needed support, and it wasn’t as if Hermann’s workplace would allow a guest without a pass. Once he stepped out of Chau’s limo, he’d be on his own. He had to do this alone.

He stared down Chau as he sat across from him in the limo. Chau stared back. Most of the short trip was silent and tense.

“You throw a mean right,” Chau eventually said.

Hermann’s eyebrow rose in acknowledgement. “Thank you.”

Chau nodded. “You’re sure all this is gonna work? Kid looked like he was in a bad way.”

“He is. But I trust miss Mori and mister Becket to keep him stable until I return.” Hermann took a slow breath and closed his eyes. “…Why didn’t you make him go?” He asked, not opening his eyes. “You had a jet ready to free him, and you just… let him come back?”

When he finally regarded Chau again, he watched the man shrug. “He made a pretty good case. Something about being not willing to let a good man face consequences for being a good man.” Chau smirked at him. “I think he’s just got it bad for you.”

Hermann ducked his head in embarrassment. “That… That very well may be. But I suppose that’s easy to achieve when everyone else has been horrid.”

“You don’t think it’s serious?”

The question threw Hermann off. He narrowed his eyes at Chau after sorting his thoughts. “I’m afraid there’s no way to know for sure without more time. What he feels for me may just be in comparison to his previous expectations, and since I’ve passed those excessively low bars, he sees me in a skewed light.”

Chau cocked an eyebrow. “So you _don’t_ think it’s serious,” He repeated.

“I’m _saying,_ ” Hermann took a steadying breath, “That he’ll be free to meet others and have a much more extensive view of people in the world. Once he has options… I see no reason for him to settle with… me.”

Chau snorted, a dismissive sound that made Hermann angry, but he kept it in as Chau spoke again. “All of this, and you’re still willing to just let him run off and jump in bed with someone else if he wants it?”

Hermann flinched. “He’s free to do as he wants,” He insisted.

Chau chuckled again as the limo slowed to a stop near ShatterTech. “Sounds like the kid’s not the only one who’s got it bad.”

Hermann didn’t dignify the statement with a response. His silence was likely enough of an answer.

As he shut the door behind him, the window rolled down. “Good luck,” Chau called out before the limo took off again. Hermann watched it go and took a deep breath. Alone again. Alone with his thoughts. Alone with his plan.

Instead of approaching the front door as usual, he rounded the side. There was a loading dock he could scan himself into quietly. He walked up the ramp to the door and pulled his ID from his wallet, sliding it through. The little light turned green, and the lock clicked. He yanked the door open and marched through it without any hesitation.

The guard in the office of that hall peeked his head out of the door as Hermann walked by and smiled. “Morning Dr. Gottlieb! I thought you were on vacation?”

“Ah, I still am.” Hermann smiled at him and tried not to seem suspicious. “I’m simply picking something up from the office and I’ll be off for the rest of my weekend.”

“Any big plans?”

Hermann beamed at him. “A few.”

The guard chuckled at him and waved him off. “Enjoy the rest of your vacation, Dr. Gottlieb. See ya on Monday.”

Hermann kept walking. The lower halls were mostly empty since it was morning, but not early morning. As soon as lunch hit, they’d be full, but for now, they were scantily occupied. Hermann winced at how loud his cane seemed as he stepped into the elevator and headed up. His line was on the second floor. So, too, were newly machined parts he had ordered before he even began his time off.

Before his company insisted that he take the week, Hermann had been working on schematics and bouncing ideas off of Tendo to improve the spinal battery. The current models were good for city life, but if the units were ever needed somewhere where there was no power to charge, they were still susceptible to running out of battery in under a day. He had put in for a small order of new parts to build a prototype to present to his superiors. Solar charging options. Significantly longer battery life. It was all meant to further the company.

Now, he was going to make it for Newton.

The elevator doors opened, and Hermann made his way out. He was making a straight shot to his production line when he heard voices that he didn’t recognise coming from further around the hall. He furrowed his brow and peered carefully around the corner.

Two men were making their way down in nondescript suits with guest badges. He didn’t know either of them, but they seemed to be looking for something. As they grew nearer, Hermann ducked away again and slipped into a maintenance closet as quickly as he could-- Just in time, as the men came around as soon as the door clicked closed.

“The guy must have been some kinda recluse, nobody here knows where he might be,” He heard one man say.

The other man seemed more concerned than the first. “If he made a virus to steal equipment, he’s probably a recluse because he’s a terrorist.”

The first man snorted. “I doubt it’s that serious. He’s just some hacker freak who wanted a fancier bot to fuck and didn’t know what he was getting into.”

“You never know.”

As their voices disappeared down the hallway, Hermann slipped out of the closet and began a steady march to his office. He had to hurry. These men were looking for _him._ They had it incredibly wrong as well, which Hermann found amusing at its bare bones; They seemed to assume that Newton’s ‘malfunction’ and creation in general was something _he_ had done. If they were coming from the direction of his office; they must have been trying to find proof of it. Hermann felt himself smirking. They could certainly try. Honestly, he would give them credit if they brought someone clever enough to get into his system. But even if they had, they’d find nothing. There was nothing to find.

His smugness disappeared when someone collided into his side and threw a hand over his mouth before he could shout. He was dragged into a doorway that led to a maintenance hall. The door slammed behind him and his assailant. He was pushed behind a machine and against a wall within the shadows.

His terror was replaced with irritation upon discovering that it was Tendo. “Mr. _Choi!_ What is the meaning of-”

“Okay you do not get to pull that attitude with me, do you have any idea how scared I am for you right now!?” Tendo’s voice was hushed and hurried.

Hermann sighed and gripped the bridge of his nose. “I don’t really have time to explain-”

“Well you’re gonna have to make time!” Tendo gripped his shoulders and stared up at him, eyes wild. “I drove past your building this morning, and your window was open. There was a _cop_ out front, and you haven’t been answering your phone!” He took a desperate breath without giving Hermann a chance to respond. “Then I get to work today, and there are strange men claiming to be auditors in the building trying to _find_ you!” He tightened his fists into the sleeves of Hermann’s shirt, and took in a shuddering breath. “What the fuck is happening, Hermann!?”

Hermann pursed his lips and looked down. He took a slow breath. He really did owe Tendo an explanation; he hadn’t even given him a thought in the flurry of what had happened. “I am trying to help Newton.”

Tendo huffed in exhaustion. “ _Newton-_ Newton broke your damn heart, why are you still worried about him!? Hasn’t he fucked off to some other corner of the world by now?”

“He came back!”

Tendo’s frustration turned to shock.

Hermann straightened his spine. “He came back and explained everything to me. He’s more than an anomaly or a ghost in the machine, he was created on purpose. He was created to be human. He was created to be somebody’s son!”

“How do you know that’s the truth? How do you know he’s not just saying that so you’ll feel bad for him?”

“Because he came back to sacrifice himself for me.” When Hermann said the words, he realised that they apparently hadn’t sunk in to even his own mind until they were uttered aloud. The emotions that followed were heavy, and any thought of keeping the tears back was gone. “He c-came back to give up his _life_ so I wouldn’t owe Designer Date millions, and I couldn’t let that happen, Tendo! He won’t leave me to take the fall, so I’m leaving with him to save his life!”

”You’re _leav-!_ ” Tendo reached up and gripped his slicked back hair too tightly. “You are throwing your life away for a _bot!?_ ”

“He is _not just a bot!_ ” Hermann firmly shoved Tendo away from him and struggled for steady breath. “Newton is the first person who made me feel alive in years! He pulled me out of this fortress of an existence that I built for myself and showed me the kind of person I can be, and _do not_ look at me like that isn’t exactly what you were hoping for when you encouraged me to do this in the first place!”

“I wanted you to get out of your head! I wanted you to leave your apartment, I didn’t want you to commit _grand theft_ and run away with some virus AI!”

“Newton is not a _virus_ either, Mr. Choi! He’s a man who made me remember what it’s like to be happy! He’s a man who understands the way I think and my need for intellectual stimulation! He’s a man who was trapped in an impossible situation, trying to return to his father in a world that doesn’t believe him to be real, and now he’s a man who is in trouble, fighting for his life.” Hermann stared Tendo down like he was ready to knock him out. At the same time, he was tired of having to explain the same old tale over and over again. The exhaustion was clear, and he took a broken breath. “And right now I need my best friend to believe me when I say that I am right where I need to be. I am doing the right thing, and I need-… I need your _trust._ ”

Tendo was staring. Hermann couldn’t read anything that was going on behind those eyes, but he was quiet now, thinking loudly but betraying none of his conclusions. He turned his gaze to the floor and crossed his arms. “…How is he in trouble?”

Hermann sniffed and wiped his eyes. “The service returned for him early. Because your diagnostic was sent to them, they found that his information and hardware did not match their records, so they sent people straight from the company to me to retrieve him.”

Tendo squinted at him. “From your place? You didn’t tell them he booked it?”

Hermann looked down as well. “I thought…” He huffed. “I thought that if I didn’t tell them Newton had left, he’d have a head start.”

“So you were giving yourself up for him?”

“I was.” Hermann felt the smile return against his better judgement. “But the first to my door was Newton. After he explained everything, I wasn’t willing to let him face what was waiting for him back at the service.”

Tendo nodded slowly, but his expression didn’t change. “They would have deleted his AI and harvested his hardware.”

“They would have killed him,” Hermann corrected. “As it stands, they felt the need to send men with taser guns whose rounds were overpowered enough to damage Newton’s battery unit.”

Tendo sighed. “Battery unit. That you designed. That we make here.”

“Yes.”

“You’re here to steal him a new one.”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Tendo inhaled through his nose slowly. Eventually, his cold facade broke, but it wasn’t to anger or sadness, or even frustration. Instead, he smirked. “So hold on, you’re here on a heist, and you didn’t wanna include me? Your inside man? I’m hurt, Hermann.”

Hermann exhaled the nerves that finally unwound and lifted a hand to hold onto Tendo’s shoulder. “You’re not upset?”

“Am I upset? Yes. You should have called me back, for one. You should have told me the minute something was wrong.” He glanced around as if he was looking for someone. “Where is Newton now? Is he okay?”

“He’s connected to a generator in miss Mori’s auto shop.”

Tendo scoffed. “You told _Mako_ before me?”

“Mako was more suited to the situation at hand! I didn’t pick her over you, but you certainly weren’t going to be able to do anything about it!” Hermann was getting flustered, but it came with a small measure of relief. At least Tendo wasn’t angry.

Tendo smirked and patted his arms again. “Well if I couldn’t help then, let me help you now.”

“I really shouldn’t involve you in any way that you could be punished for-”

“Oh please, I’m a way better liar than you. Besides, somebody’s gotta lure the mook out of your office.”

“There’s another in my office?” Hermann’s eyes widened. “How many men are here?”

“Just three I think. Two of them have been asking questions, and they left one guy trying to get into your computer.” Tendo snickered. “I’m not gonna lie, his struggle is hilarious.”

“Do you think you could do it? Lure the man out?”

“How long do you need?”

“Twenty minutes.”

Tendo hissed. “Man. Gonna be pulling teeth, but yeah. I got you.” He finally let Hermann away from the wall and dusted him off before sighing. “…I’m gonna miss the hell out of you, you know that, right?”

Hermann smiled. “You know I won’t forget your number.”

“You don’t forget much.” Tendo pulled Hermann forward and threw his arms around his shoulders, giving him a tight hug. “Stay in here until I get that guy outta there. I’ll call you if I hit a snag.” As he pulled away, he held onto Hermann’s shoulders a little longer. “Don’t leave the city without saying goodbye, okay? Promise me?”

Hermann’s smile grew, and he lifted his hands to Tendo’s forearms. “I promise.”

~

Michael Hackett’s job should not have been this difficult. He honestly assumed that he’d be getting to this computer, busting through the login screen in five minutes, and be waltzing back to his other compatriots with the evidence they were hoping to find to nail this guy. He was head of programming at the Designer Date service after all. He designed much of the coding that made the bots in the company go, short of the actual AI, and he’d built their security system from scratch. He shouldn’t have needed to leave the office.

But their company got hacked without his notice. His security was breached when it shouldn’t have been possible. Now he was camped in front of the most infuriating code he’d ever had the displeasure of trying to crack, and it wouldn’t budge. It almost felt like the computer was mocking him. He was also sure the production line outside the room _was_ mocking him. Every time he swore at the screen, he’d look up and find that the final servo in the run was up in the window, its single optic lens seeming to stare him down. He’d regard it for a moment and then look away.

He couldn’t start focusing on unnerving servos when the computer before him was a much more frustrating task. He’d almost prefer to just shoot the thing with the gun he’d been given in the event this job got hairy, but that would mean losing whatever evidence was on the drives he couldn’t reach.

Also the paperwork required upon firing of his weapon was just not something he planned on dealing with today unless absolutely necessary.

He was fighting the urge to slam his fists on the table as the computer shut him out for another thirty minutes after yet _another_ failed five efforts to get into it when there was a chipper knock on the doorway. He lifted his head and found a man standing there in suspenders and a bow-tie of all things. He wore a smile. “Hey, I know you’re busy, but uh, Hermann just scanned in at the front, I dunno if that's of interest to you.”

“Mr. Gottlieb is here?” Michael straightened up.

The man grimaced. “That’s ‘Dr. Gottlieb’. Trust me, you best get it now, or he’ll remind you.” He jerked his head to nod behind him. “But come on! He’s got a pretty standard route.”

Oh thank _god._ Michael stood up so fast the chair rolled to the other side of the office with the movement. “Take me to him.” Anything would be faster than having to wait another moment in front of this damn computer. He hurried out the door as the grinning technician led the way past the long conveyor of judgemental AI.

“Sure thing, boss. What’d you say your name was again?”

“Hackett is fine.”

Bow tie beamed brighter and shook his hand too hard. “Choi! Good to meet you.”

 

Hermann watched, undetected from a supply closet, as Tendo and the intruder left the hall and rounded the corner of the hall. He waited a few seconds to ensure they would not return before throwing the door open and hurrying into the line. He threw the conveyor belt switch as soon as he reached it. Production ceased. “Hello everyone!” Hermann said as he hurried by the line of servos. Each one rose from their position and spun their digits as they faced him, what Herman had learned was their form of waving hello. He found it endearing. “I hope you don’t mind a derailment from the usual routine. We’ll be working on a prototype today, so please do your best.”

He reached his office and quickly pulled the swivel chair back to its proper place, sitting down and smirking at the screen. “Locked out, were you? Naughty naughty, Mr. Hackett, sticking your nose in places you don’t belong…” He typed in a short sequence, and the timer reset. He typed another, and the login screen gave way to his dashboard. It was pristine and free of clutter, just like his home had been. Empty with no character. He sighed and brought up the programming for the build system.

Above the door, where there was a large space cut free of the wall, the lead and final servo of the line slid into the room, dipping down before Hermann and pausing a few feet away. Hermann heard the familiar whirring and looked up to smile. “Ah, Charlotte! Hello my dear.”

The servos digits opened, and she spun once. Hello.

Hermann’s smile was fond. Charlotte’s existence had been made all the more important with Newton’s presence. She was a Geiszler, too. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve returned early. Uh,” He ducked his head. “Are you familiar with the concept of family?”

Charlotte had no voice, so she did not audibly respond. She did turn idly, in a clockwise motion, then counter, then back again. It was almost like she was thinking.

Hermann continued, “You are a Geiszler model; are you aware of this fact?”

The digits of Charlotte’s servo opened outward, a move he’s learned to mean ‘yes’.

“Do you know what a sibling is?” ‘Yes’ again. Hermann nodded to her. “Are you aware that you have them?”

She opened in another yes, but it was slow and unsure, and ended with a quarter turn to the left. She seemed to understand the theory that she did, but didn’t know what that information meant.

Hermann was more than happy to clear it up for her. “You have a brother. Newton. N. Do you know him?” It was a shot in the dark; there was no telling if Charlotte was housed in the same system as Newton, so it was a slim chance she knew who he was talking about-

An exuberant yes. She knew him. Emphatically so.

His heart felt considerably lighter in his chest. It was looking like there were more people in the world who loved Newton Geiszler than Newton had ever been aware of. “He needs our help. He needs _your_ help. He uses a battery like the ones you build with your family here, but his is damaged. By men like the one who was here moments ago. We’re going to build him a new one-- a better one. Do you think you can do that for me? For Newton?”

Another yes. She then lifted herself up and out of the office again to hover over the conveyor, where she and the other servos awaited their instructions. Hermann beamed after her. He would absolutely miss her when he left, but he was going to leave specific orders with Tendo to take special care of her after he was gone.

With a deep, readying breath, Hermann set to work.

~

Tendo didn’t know if he was just really convincing, or if this Hackett guy was just not the most intelligent chap in the room. It was little more than fifteen minutes later, and he had the man back on the first floor, away from Hermann, standing by and waiting for him to get to the right key to unlock one of the testing labs. Tendo had keys to most rooms in the building besides private offices, so he usually carried around a key ring so stocked, it could double as a bludgeoning weapon if he needed it to. There were dozens of keys on it, and somehow, he knew exactly which one went where.

But Hackett didn’t need to know that. “All right, it’s gotta be this one.” Tendo tried yet another key and winced. “Ooor it’s not. Jeez. Swear it was that one.”

“Can we _please_ hurry this along?” Hackett seemed to be under the impression that Tendo was just a fool, and Tendo was more than happy to let him keep believing that if it got him to stick around a bit longer. It also helped that most people they’ve dealt with have been backing his story.

He tried another key, a little faster, but it still failed. “Damn. Sorry.”

Hackett looked exasperated and ready to slap him-

And then the door opened and gave way to a lab tech, Jules Reyes, buried in paperwork on her clipboard with a duffle bag hefted over her shoulder. She looked up in surprise when she saw Tendo and Hackett. “Oh! Hello, Tendo. Didn’t see you there, excuse me.”

Hackett caught her shoulder before she walked away. “Is Dr. Gottlieb in there by any chance?”

Tendo cleared his throat to pull her attention to him. “Yeah, we’re checking all of Hermann’s haunts. This gentleman would like a word with Hermann, but we haven’t been able to find him.” He stared her in the eyes and hoped she caught on. Everybody knew that Tendo knew Hermann’s schedule, so the fact that Tendo was acting oblivious meant something was up.

And they protected their own here. Jules squinted and turned back to Hackett. “You just missed him, actually,” She lied. She turned back to Tendo. “Isn’t he usually getting ready for a tour about now? It’s almost noon.”

Tendo snapped his fingers. “You are absolutely right. That’s why they pay you the big bucks.”

Jules smirked at him and nodded. She then turned to Hackett, who hadn’t let go of her and kept smiling. “If you don’t remove your hand, I’m going to break it.”

Hackett let go quickly.

Jules turned back to Tendo. “See you later.” And she left.

Tendo was going to ask that Jules get a raise the next chance he got. “Come on! I know exactly where he is.”

“Hackett!” Both men were startled by the voice and turned to see the other two auditors coming up from the opposite end of the hall. “Why aren’t you at your post?” The taller man asked.

Hackett sighed. “I haven’t been able to get into his system. Mr. Choi here said he was in the building, we’re just trying to track him down.”

The second, shorter man sighed. “Well you should have called us, get back to your post.”

Hackett sighed. Then he walked away.

Tendo was panicking. He had to warn Hermann that Hackett was coming back, but there was no way he was going to be able to do that with these two nipping at his heels.

“So where is he?” Asked the taller man, breaking Tendo out of his internal chaos.

Tendo turned and offered them a completely calm facade. “The tour!” He beamed. “He likes to head the noon tour because the production line is usually steady at this time of day.” He made his way behind the men and patted their shoulders, urging them further down the hall.

He opened a door to a small theatre room just as the lights were dimming. There was a small group of people already seated on the benches awaiting the video. The tall man arched a brow at him. “Mr. Choi.”

“It’s an introduction! It’s less than ten minutes, you guys just have a seat. Hermann’ll be on the other side of that door once it’s over.” Tendo pointed to a door on the opposite end of the room and smiled, unyielding. “It’s just a short history of the company. As auditors, you should probably know some of these things anyway.” That should really drive it home.

The men turned to each other with some exhausted stares of resolve before regarding Tendo again. “Thank you, Mr. Choi.”

Tendo nodded as they found some seats in the back. As soon as they looked away, he slipped back through the door and locked it behind him with his key. These two, at least, wouldn’t be able to make their way back until they reached the end of the touring hall, so at the very least he bought them another twenty minutes.

Mr. Hackett was an entirely different problem. He pulled his cellphone out and called Hermann. He picked up in the middle of the second ring, much to Tendo’s relief. “ _What is it, Tendo?_ ”

“You gotta bail. I bagged the other two phoneys and bought you some time, but that Hackett guy is on his way back, get out of there.” Tendo hoped to god that Hermann would listen.

Hermann gave a frustrated huff on the other end. “ _I will leave when I have Newton’s battery._ ”

“Just grab _any_ of them, Hermann!” Tendo cursed. “I’m on my way to you, hold on.”

“ _No, Tendo, I need you to do something else for me._ ” He heard Hermann typing something. “ _I need you to get your car and wait for me out front. Are you still willing to take the day for me?_ ”

Tendo groaned. “You know I am, but Hermann-”

“ _Please get the car ready and wait out front. I need you to do this for me, I will be fine here, I promise._ ” Hermann took a breath. “ _Please._ ”

Tendo gripped the bridge of his nose and sighed. “If you’re not out front in fifteen minutes, I’m coming in with a tire iron, you got me?”

“ _I understand._ ” There was a pause. “ _I appreciate you immensely for being my friend… You know that, right?_ ”

Tendo’s expression softened. He smiled and covered his eyes before bolting for the door. “Just get out safe, Hermann.”

“ _I will._ ”

~

Hermann hung up first and stood from his chair, sending it rolling to the back wall of his office again. He logged back out of the system and hurried out to the end of the factory line. The battery was coming together quickly, but he still needed another five minutes before it was complete. It looked sleeker than the older model, and he could tell from the smoothness of the servos movements that they were taking extra special care with it for their brother. New power cells were being loaded, and a few final components would need to be wired after that. Then it would be in his hands, and he’d be home free. _Newton_ would be home free.

But life could not be that easy. The door at the opposite end off the line swung open, and Hackett took a few tired steps in before he caught sight of Hermann and froze. Hermann didn’t move. Hackett took another slow step. “Mr. Gottlieb, is it?”

Hermann snarled at him. “ _Dr._  if you please.”

Hackett gave him a smile, but it was clear it was forced. “Nice to meet you,” He said as he made his way down the line. “You have something that belongs to us. If you just give it back, we can pretend that none of this happened.”

Hermann tilted his chin up and stared down his nose at the man as he approached. The servos that were no longer working on the part seemed to turn their attention to the man as well, but he didn’t seem to notice them. Hermann sent him his coldest stare. “I certainly hope you obtained proper documentation and did not _lie_ to be allowed in this building. Trespassing is a crime you know. You’ll be in quite a bit of trouble.”

“Not nearly as much as you’ll be for theft. You stole government property.” Hackett continued, oblivious to one of the servos sidling up behind him.

“I certainly hope you have proof of such a thing. Because I do not see any authorities here, do you? If you’d involved them, perhaps you would have a warrant.” Hermann glared at him. “Or have you forgotten due process? Mr. Michael Hackett.” Hermann remembered the the name ‘Hackett’ from the first email he had received.

Hackett snorted. “I’m sure the government will be lenient with me. And perhaps they will be with you if you return their property.”

If looks could kill, Hackett stood no chance. “Newton is not property. He is a man who deserves to live, and I will not let you lay claim to him like he is some _object._ ”

“He _is_ an object. He’s programming. He’s a _thing._ And if I can’t reason with you using logic, I guess I’ll have to try something a little more convincing.” He reached behind his back and pulled out-

Nothing. Confusion creased his face, as he patted his back and looked around at the ground. Eventually he spun around to look upwards.

One of the servos had located his gun and had stolen it expertly from his belt, pulling it up and away, out of his reach.

Hermann scoffed. “You’re in here, playing auditor, playing secret agent, playing at understanding the nature of something on which you’ve already made an uninformed decision.” As he spoke, Hackett started making his way to Hermann anyway. Perhaps he thought he could take him, seeing as Hermann was a man with a cane. But Hermann was a man with a cane, and about a dozen small, articulate friends. One servo toward the beginning of the line grabbed hold of Hackett’s jacket and halted his movement. Hermann smiled and continued. “Science deals in absolutes only in numbers, but if you ever decide before you see to your evidence that you know everything, that is where you fail as a scientist.”

Hackett struggled out of his jacket, but immediately tripped over another servo into a rack of parts. He forced himself to stand and stepped over the servo, which caught hold of his pant leg and hindered him again.

Hermann grinned and continued. “You think you know a thing or two about AI, but you aren’t willing to look past your conclusion. You’ve decided that they are not people. As you can see,” Hermann gestured as another servo took hold of the man’s tie, “They disagree with you.”

Hackett yanked his pant leg free and tried to do the same with the tie, but the servo’s hold was too strong. He grunted and loosened it. “They’re just _code,_ you idiot! They don’t have free will, they take orders!”

“I don’t suppose my telling you that all of this is their doing would change your opinion in the slightest?” Hermann watched the part move closer to him toward Charlotte’s position, and she set to work tightening screws and rivets and sealing wiring where it needed to be. Hackett finally pulled his tie off and hurried in a wide arc around another servo. “I see you wish to keep your thoughts to yourself. Well. Please meet the AIs from the Geiszler line. All Newton’s siblings who want nothing more than to make sure you never get your hands on Newton ever again.”

Hackett dodged the grip of another servo to make a beeline for Hermann.

Hermann didn’t even flinch. “You should have stuck to programming, Mr. Hackett.”

Before Hackett could reach him, Charlotte suddenly finished her work and swung out with urgency, smacking into the side of Hackett’s head. The man blacked out and fell to the ground like a ragdoll, head bouncing off of the fatigue mats that lined the floor.

Hermann winced down at him. “I do hope you haven’t killed him, my dear.” Charlotte turned her optic to him and gave a whir and a slow spin. Perhaps it was an apology.

On the floor, Hackett snored. Hermann gave a sigh.

“Oh, he’ll be fine.” Hermann turned a soft smile to the servo. “Thank you, Charlotte.” He turned to view the line, where all of the servos seemed to be watching. Each one another Geiszler model he hadn’t yet named. Perhaps he would delegate that task to Tendo. Hermann’s smile held fast. “Thank you, all of you. I’ll be sure to tell Newton what you’ve done for him.”

He turned back to Charlotte, who dipped down and lifted the completed spinal battery and handed it to Hermann. Once she was free of it, she slid forward and nudged once against Hermann’s forehead.

Hermann felt his chest tighten. “I’m going to miss you. Please take care of Tendo while I’m gone.” Charlotte closed her digits and moved back an inch. Hermann arched a brow at her. “None of that. He’s learning. Give him time.” He adjusted his hold on the battery and gave her a short bow. “Good bye, my dear.”

He turned and marched away before he got too emotional. This would be the last time he left this place. It was likely the last time he’d see Charlotte again. But at least he would be leaving her in Tendo’s capable hands. Tendo would update him on her; he was sure of it.

As he marched down the hall, he heard a short whistle and turned with a tightened grip on his cane in case it was another man from the service.

It was miss Reyes. He went tense. “Can-… Can I help you, miss Reyes?”

“Seeing as you’re apparently about to be on the run, I think you can call me Jules.” She took a few steps toward him. “I followed the suit. Didn’t trust him.”

“A wise decision.”

Jules smiled and held out and opened her duffle bag that she’d emptied. “I don’t think you’ll make a clean getaway if you’re blatantly stealing equipment.”

Hermann released the breath he was holding and placed the battery within the safety of the bag. “Thank you. Thank you, you really don’t know how much you’re doing for me.”

“Eh, I’ll get the details from Choi later. He owes me.” She winked at him and turned away. “Safe travels, Dr. Gottlieb.”

Hermann nodded and walked away. Perhaps he had more friends in this city than he thought.

He took the elevator down and made his way through the front door waving at the guard on duty, who looked surprised to see him, but happy nonetheless. He hurried down the ramp up to where Tendo was parked, car running, and passenger door wide open. He slid into the car, buckled up, shut the door, and held the bag close.

Tendo pulled away from ShatterTech and glanced at the bag. “Isn’t that Jules’ bag?”

“I’m going to ask that you buy her a rather pricey dinner when you get the chance.” Hermann said, settling his head back against the headrest and closing his eyes.

Tendo chuckled. “Oh trust me, I will. I owe her big time.”

Hermann let himself smile.  "She said as much."

~

Tendo didn’t leave once they arrived at the garage. He shouldered the part in the bag for Hermann and led the way inside, and he was ready to help with the replacement process.

Hermann expected to enter with Newton already tucked safely away in whatever storage device Chau had procured for them. Instead, they entered to muted panic. One of Chau’s guards and Raleigh were busy trying to hold Newton down while Chau’s other man was trying to plug some cords into the back of Newton’s head. Mako was standing nearby trying to talk to Newton as calmly as she could, but nothing seemed to be working.

Newton sobbed, voice broken, on the table, too weak now to fight anyone off of him.

“What are you doing!?” Hermann broke into a stuttered run. “What’s happened!?”

Chau turned to him looking exasperated. He’d taken his blazer off, down to his shirt and waistcoat, and taken the cuff links off. “The kid was fine until about ten minutes ago.”

Mako tried to brace her hand on the back of Newton’s head to calm him. “His battery stopped taking a charge from the generator shortly after you left, and he began to panic. He is delirious now. It’s as if he has forgotten why we are doing this; we cannot calm him down.”

Hermann made it to the table as the man finally plug the wires where they needed to be. Hermann shooed everyone away and skidded to a halt by Newton’s side. “Newton! Newton, I’m right here, I need you to relax.”

Newton huffed a sob, eyes dry but evidenced that he had been crying. He must not have had enough power to continue. He reached up weakly to the back of his neck where the wires were plugged in.

Hermann batted his hands away. “Stop it, you need those.” He took Newton’s face in his hands and looked him in the eyes. “What’s the matter, darling? What’s happened? Why are you so afraid?”

“C-...Can’t be not me. I don’t wanna not be me again.” His voice wasn’t distorted like it had been before, but his tone was uneven and tinny, whirring between too low and too high as he tried to steady it.

“You are always you, you cannot be anything else.” Hermann’s thumbs brushed along his cheeks.

Newton shook his head out of Hermann’s grasp and laid his forehead on the table. “No. No, I can’t be data again, I won’t… I won’t do it. I can’t be human if I don’t just die like one, please, let me just be human once, please…!”

Hermann went tense. “Newton, you’re not thinking clearly. You’re too weak, please listen to me. You need to go into the hard drives. You’re running out of time.”

Newton whimpered and closed his unfocused eyes. He pressed his forehead into the table and sobbed again, mumbling something Hermann didn’t hear.

Hermann inched closer. “I can’t hear you, my dear. Please, please talk to me.”

“I’m scared… I’m not enough, he won’t love me, he won’t-…” Newton flinched at his own words.

“Of course he will love you. Look what you’ve done to come this far. You already had his love before you had this body, I’m sure of it. He already loved you when you were only code.” Hermann bit his lip.

“...Just a machine…”

“You’re not.”

“Just an… overzealous program…”

“You are _not!_ ” Hermann pulled himself onto the table and helped Newton sit up, bracing him on his shoulder and making sure he didn’t jostle the wires. “Look around you, Newton. All of these people are here because they want to help you. They wouldn’t do that if you were nothing but some machine to them. They care about you. You are surrounded by love already, you cannot… you cannot die so easily. Not when you have so many people who want you to live.” He took a short breath, cupping Newton’s face and keeping his gaze steady. “… _Need_ you to live.” It should have made Hermann nervous that nobody else seemed to be saying anything, but instead he was happy for the time to just… talk.

Newton’s bleary gaze found the others in the room, and everyone, right down to the guards who had nothing to do with any of this beyond doing what their boss wanted, looked concerned or scared for him. Newton leaned heavily into Hermann and let his eyes droop. “…Is love always this sad…?”

Hermann flinched and wrapped his arms around Newton, keeping his head close to his chest. “…It can be. Love isn’t love if it doesn’t hurt sometimes.” He leaned his cheek in Newton’s hair. “But it just makes everything else that much sweeter. All the good things. You _have_ to focus on those.”

Newton trembled-- twitched-- in Hermann’s arms. He closed his eyes again and took shallow breaths to cool his overworked body. Hermann bit his lip and squeezed his own eyes shut. “… _Please,_ darling…”

He felt Newton’s arm shift in his hold. He looked up and found that Mako had sat on Newton's other side and taken his twitching hand in both of hers. Tendo set the duffle bag down and came to a halt in front of him, crouching down and putting a hand on Newton’s knee. Behind them, Raleigh laid a strong hand on Newton’s shoulder. Hermann held him all the more close, keeping out of everyone’s way.

Newton’s soft sobbing stopped, and his head lifted slowly to lean back on Hermann’s arm. He looked up at the ceiling with a weak smile. “…Love is nice,” He whispered.

Hermann ran his knuckles along Newton’s cheek. “You must transfer over Newton. I promise you it won’t be for long, and all of this love will be waiting for you when you come back. I promise.”

Newton let his unsteady gaze lock with Hermann’s and that smile grew brighter. “Love is nice,” He said again. Then the smile disappeared. His eyes grew empty and still. His body went limp. The red lights of his battery went dark.

Hermann’s weakly held together demeanor shattered. The tears fell before he could stop them. “Newton?” He gripped Newton’s unmoving face and tried fruitlessly to rouse him. “ _Newton!_ ”

He felt Raleigh’s hand move to his back, and Mako took his arm. He sent a panicked look around the room, and even Chau looked as distraught as his harsh features would allow him-- eyes still hidden behind his sunglasses, but his brow was heavy, and he held his hand over his mouth. It finally seemed to be sinking in how alive Newton truly is.

Was.

Hermann broke down. He sobbed and collapsed into the hold of Mako and inevitably Tendo, who had stood to wrap his arm around his back and tucked Hermann's head under his chin. Mako’s arms curled as far as they could around both Newton’s prone body and Hermann’s quaking one. Raleigh ducked his head in respect. Chau took a heavy seat in a nearby chair and stared at the ground. They tried. They had all tried.

Hermann felt like he’d failed Newton.

The silence went on for a while before Tendo chose to break it. “Uh, guys?” He didn’t receive an answer from anyone. Hermann was too drained and exhausted to think about anything. All he wanted to do was curl around Newton and will life back into him.

Tendo tried again. “...I know we’re all kinda miserable right now, and I don’t wanna get anybody’s hopes up but… was that light blinking before?”

Hermann dared to lift his head, unwilling to be optimistic by his words alone. He looked where Tendo was staring-

The storage unit they had plugged Newton into-- two hip level towers powered by wall sockets and full of dozens of individual hard drives-- had been dark when he and Tendo had gotten into the shop. Now, in the top corner of the first tower, a small, green light was blinking, steady. Hermann’s heart leapt into his throat. “H-Hold him…!” He leaned Newton’s body carefully into Mako’s hold and staggered off of the table, hurrying to where he’d left his messenger bag and pulling out his laptop. He placed it, open, on the tower and set it to airplane mode before scrambling to find a cord to connect it to the massive drive. As soon as the drive was enabled on the computer, Hermann shakily opened a blank notepad file on top of all the other windows that he hadn’t closed since the last time Newton used it. “Newton?” The laptop had a microphone built in. He should be able to hear Hermann if he was in the drives.

They got silence in response. No words appeared in the document. Hermann kept staring, feeling his heart begin to sink. He bit his lip so hard he swore he would bleed, and he closed his eyes.

“ _Caaan~_ ”

Hermann’s head shot up as a softly sung word played from the speakers, shattering the silence of the room.

“ _Anybodyyy~_ ” The chorus joined Freddie Mercury’s clear tone.

Hermann covered his mouth, eyes watering once again.

“ _Find meeee~_ ”

Tendo laughed.

“ _Somebody tooo~_ ”

Hermann squeezed his eyes shut and let the happy tears flow.

“ _Looove~_ ”

As the piano chords filled the room, they were joined with the cries of relief from everyone in the room. Tendo and Mako began shifting Newton’s form so they could set to work replacing the battery. Freddy Mercury’s voice continued to lull them all into a sense of ease, and Hermann gave the webcam lens an empty glare. “If you ever do that to me again, so help me Newton I will turn you into a toaster.” He watched as the empty document finally gained a word.

**sorry :/**

Hermann laughed again and pressed a kiss to the screen. “Don’t apologise for being alive, darling. Don’t you ever apologise for that.”

**:)**

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lengthy pause there, this chapter was a doozy.


	8. Day 18

Michael Hackett was sat before the desk in the office of Harvey Calloway, the CEO of Designer Date LLC, facing down both his boss and an attaché from some government agency in a tailored suit. He felt small, and even though he was flanked by two other men also responsible for making the decision _not_ to tell their superiors about the break-in and subsequent loss of property, he felt like he was completely alone.

He really didn’t deserve this grief. First he was taken down by a servo, and now he was being treated like some criminal when the real thief was gallivanting off somewhere with their merchandise like he owned the thing. The spotlight shouldn’t have been on him.  
  
The agent was stoic while his boss was doing his best impression of a tea kettle seconds from blowing it. “So you’re telling me that your security-- which _you_ touted as bulletproof, mind you-- was not only bypassed, but that breach then enabled the hacker to take complete control of our entire facility and build their own bot?” Calloway laughed to let off some steam and not at all because he thought this situation was even remotely funny. “And _then,_ rather than report the loss to me immediately, you went behind my back, hid the breach, and attempted-- _untrained!--_ to retrieve the bot yourselves?”

“We should have had it under control sir, we didn’t figure the breach was a major threat,” Answered the tall man on Hackett’s left, Sam. He was one of the senior security guards. “We figured we could retrieve the bot and solve the problem before it was even an issue.”

“Well clearly that didn’t work, did it?” Hackett was sure Calloway’s face would be stuck perpetually in fury. He turned his attention to Hackett again. “Were you able to at least find out how this man got around your ‘perfect’ system on your little trip to ShatterTech?”

Hackett pursed his lips and shook his head. “I didn’t have the time. I couldn’t get into the hacker’s computer, and then I was assaulted by his entire factory line.” He took a breath. “If I just had five more minutes with it-”

“What you all were doing was a form of illegal search and seizure,” Spoke the agent, who’s name Hackett hadn’t been told. “Even if you had found proof that he’d been in your system, none of that would be usable in court.” He flipped through a folder full of paperwork. “Which you might have known if you’d have involved the police.” He closed the folder with one hand and dropped it on the CEO’s desk. “The way I see it gentlemen, everything you’ve done has been entirely to cover your asses. And I don’t think we’ll be requiring this company’s services any longer.”

Calloway’s anger gave way to shock. “Wha- Sir, please. I promise you we can easily get much better security-”

“I’m afraid it’s too late for that. Top secret equipment is now roaming free in the world, as is a man with knowledge that it exists. This entire project is burned.” The man pulled out his phone and sent a quick text.

“So, if you find the man who stole the bot, are you going to kill him?” Sam asked.

The agent arched an eyebrow at them. “No. The way it’s been described, he doesn’t even know what he has.”

“And if he comes back?” Hackett leaned forward in his chair. Maybe if they had permission, they could pull themselves out of these weeds. “If we _can_ retrieve the merchandise?”

“You will do no such thing,” Said the agent. “As far as you’re concerned, that bot and those parts never belonged to you. All evidence and correspondence between our agency and your company are going to be completely destroyed, _including_ purchase records of the classified equipment we will be sending back to their respective companies and compensating your loss.” He stared Hackett down and smiled. “None of this ever happened,” He turned to Calloway, “As per the agreement you signed.”

Hackett was dumbfounded. “So the thief and that bot are just-… free to go?”

“Looks like it.” The agent tucked his phone away. “Well. We’ll be sending cleaners up in a few hours. You gentleman have a good day.” With that, he walked out of the office, not looking back even once.

The remaining men in the room watched after him until the door clicked shut. Calloway’s rage boiled the room faster than an electric kettle.

“You’re all fired.”

~

Mako clicked off her torch and lifted her welding mask, standing back to admire her work. When she didn’t have engines to repair, she was working on a personal project-- a motorcycle, built from scratch from whatever pieces she could get her hands on.

With Newton’s emphatic approval, she had taken apart his old spine and was using the casing now as a decorative part of the front wheel cover. She squinted at it, tilted her head, and smiled. Everything was coming together now. What an odd way to find inspiration.

“Wow. You’re outta that slump, that’s for sure.” Raleigh said, jumpsuit top tied around his waist, wiping oil from his hands on the white tank he wore beneath it.

Mako turned and arched an eyebrow at him. “You know you could use a towel.”

Raleigh looked down at his shirt and smirked. “Oh please, like you don’t pop out from under a truck looking five times this bad.” He held his arms out and walked toward her. “Come on, Mako, bring it in.”

Mako laughed and took a step back. “Do not touch me.”

Raleigh pouted. “I guess you don’t want what’s in this envelope then.” He reached into his pocket and pulled a blank envelope free.

“Envelope?” She reached for it, and Raleigh tugged it out of her grasp. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Raleigh.”

Raleigh was still grinning and keeping the envelope far above her head. “No, you won’t hug me, you’re not getting it until you do. I don’t make the rules.”

Mako pursed her lips to keep from smiling and, instead of doing as she was asked, jabbed her fingers under Raleigh’s ribs. He folded with a yelp, and she snatched the envelope out of his now much lower hand.

Raleigh remained doubled over, holding the offended area. “That’s cold.”

Mako smirked at him and opened the envelope. “Perhaps I will be more accommodating when I learn what you are hiding from me.” She peered inside at the contents. Then she looked confused. “…Airline tickets? When did you get these?”

Raleigh straightened his back. “Couple days ago. Figured we could take a week in June.” He gestured to the tickets. “See where we’re going?”

Mako pulled the tickets out further and spotted the destination with a soft gasp. She broke out in a smile and spun around to throw her arms around Raleigh, no longer caring about how dirty he was. Raleigh laughed and barely caught her, leaning back and lifting her off the ground.

“What happened to ‘don’t touch me’?”

“You earned your hug.” She pulled back with a wide grin. “You know we are taking the autobahn at least once while we are there.”

Raleigh snorted. “Uh, _you_ can. You can text me how it went while I hang out in the hotel.”

“I should finish my motorcycle before then, maybe we could take it with us?”

“Absolutely not.”

The envelope and its contents dropped to the floor, but Mako would pick it up later. In the bright light of the garage, the destination of the Berlin Tegel Airport stared up from the concrete.

~

Tendo typed a short command into his tablet and tucked it against his side as he watched the lead servo of the battery line rise to awareness. Tendo smiled at it. “Good morning! AI model C1403. Gonna run you through a quick verbal diagnostic only, no big deal. Just gotta make sure you’re integrated and ready to work. Do you understand? Open tines for yes, closed for no.”

The servo’s digits slowly opened to Tendo, and he nodded.

“Awesome. All right. AI integration at a 100%?” A yes. “Hardware functionality 100%?” Another yes. He glanced over at the other servos and watched as Jules was walking down the line and checking their functions as well. “You get them ready for a quick calibration?”

“Sure did,” She called back.

Tendo smiled at her and turned back to the new lead servo. “Execute the basic synchronicity test.”

The lead servo, and then all of the others, began moving in tandem, and Jules made her way over to Tendo, handing him the clipboard full of her notes. “As long as they pass this test, everything seems clear.”

Their supervisor was nearby-- Dr. Lightcap-- looking tired as the test began, her arms crossed. “So the problem AI has been dealt with, yes? It’s completely cleared from the system?”

Tendo nodded to her. “Without a trace, ma’am.”

She sighed in relief. “Good. The last thing we need is to get sued by an estranged ex-client.”

“They won’t sue us, or we get to counter sue them for trespassing. Just sayin’. Courts aren’t really gonna take them seriously if they learn the only reason they got injured by a rogue servo was because they broke in.” Tendo said, holding his tablet just a bit tighter.

Dr. Lightcap shook her head. “Regardless, I’m glad you were able to get a new AI so quickly.” She watched the motions of the servos for a few seconds, and then gave them a satisfied nod. “If that’s all then, I’ll be upstairs making some application calls. With you moving to this line, we’re gonna need someone else in drones with miss Reyes.”

“I might actually have an interesting solution for you,” Jules spoke up, pulling her phone from her pocket and sending Tendo a knowing look.

He nodded back to her as Dr. Lightcap turned her attention to Jules. “You have no idea how handy it would be if you have a friend who already knows what they’re doing.”

Jules shrugged her shoulders. “Well, not a friend, but I have it on good authority that she can do the job.” She waved at Tendo as she and Dr. Lightcap left the line.

Tendo grinned after her as they left. He turned his attention back to the line as the servos finish calibrating and gave a small clap. “All right all right, good show guys!” He tapped on the screen of his tablet and smirked as the screen lit up. “How do you think they did, Charlotte? Think they’ll survive without you?”

The tablet responded with a lighthearted notification chime.

Tendo tapped the screen again. “Yeah. You taught them well, the new guy’ll fit right in.”

~

Amara jerked awake with a start when her shoulder was shaken rather harshly, sitting straight up in her chair and groaning. “What the hell-”

“Miss Namani, you were snoring,” Whispered a woman Amara recognised as the librarian.

Amara looked around and realised that she had fallen asleep in the library. Again. She winced and tapped the button on her laptop to take it out of sleep mode as well. “Sorry.”

The librarian nodded harshly at her and walked away.

Amara sighed and rubbed her temples. She really didn’t have time for impromptu naps like this, she had too much work to do, even if she brought it all on herself. She had too much code to try and write before the end of the week.

She could use some coffee, her youth be damned.

Her cellphone sang from a forgotten pocket in her bag, and she blanched as she scrambled to dig it out. She could feel the stares the occupants of the room as she threw some papers out of her way.

“Miss Namani!”

“I know, I’m sorry!” She hissed back, finally finding it and answering it in a panic, if only to shut it up. She pulled the phone to her ear and ducked under the table to sit on the floor. “Hello?” She asked in a hushed tone.

“ _Good morning! Am I speaking with Amara Namani?_ ” The voice was a woman, nobody she knew, and she winced at how loud her voice seemed against the quiet of the library around her.

“Uh, yeah that’s me. Listen, it’s not really a good time.” She peeked out from under the pane of the table to make sure she wasn’t being too loud for the librarian’s taste; She really didn’t want to get kicked out again.

“ _Oh, I’ll make it quick then,_ ” The woman didn’t take the hint and continued anyway. “ _I’m Jules Reyes, and I work at ShatterTech industries._ ”

Wait. What? Now _that_ had Amara’s attention.

“ _I was given your name by Dr. Hermann Gottlieb, and he seems to think that we should be offering you an internship at our company._ ” The woman paused. “ _Is that something you would be interested in?_ ”

Amara stared in shock at a distant wall. Dr. Hermann Gottlieb? As in… Hermann, the guy from the train with the android?

An _internship!?_

“ _Are you still there?_ ”

Amara shook herself out of her stupor. “Y-… Yeah, I-… I mean I want it but I have classes, I-”

“ _We can easily talk to your school and ensure that your paid work here is counted toward credit for some of your classes. And we would be more than willing to allow you to complete some classwork on the job._ ” There was another pause. “ _Unless you think that would be too much work for you._ ” She could _hear_ the smirk in Jules’ voice.

Amara bristled. “No way!” She went to stand and smacked her head on the bottom of the table. “Ow!”

“Miss Namani!”

Amara grumbled and stood up, shouldering her bag and snatching her laptop under her arm. “Oh can it, pencil skirt, I’m leaving.” She pulled the phone back to her ear as she marched out of the library. “I can definitely do it, trust me.”

She heard a pleasant hum on the other line. “ _When do you think you’d like to come tour the facility?_ ”

“I can literally be on a train to you in like two minutes.”

“ _We’ll see you when you get here then._ ” Jules hung up the phone.

Amara beamed as it finally sank in that this was really happening. ShatterTech wanted her. They wanted _her_ of all people, of all potential candidates they probably had to choose from, and they skipped them and went straight to her on the word of some guy she barely knew from two weeks before.

As she descended into the subway station, she popped her headphones on. Today was gonna be a good freaking day.

~

Jacob was the picture of misery. He knew it. He didn’t care. He didn’t care about much of anything these days, and he’d accepted that. He was old. He was tired. He was emotionally empty after the loss of yet another son he never got to love properly. He was a wreck. But he also had no one to blame but himself.

**I’ll be back when I can be better for you**

**I love you dad**

Newton, his life-long project and son for five years, had left him that note in a document on the system Jacob had set up in his home before disappearing into the void that was the internet. And he had left, Jacob could only assume, because he thought he wasn’t good enough as he was. Jacob had done nothing to deter that line of thinking. Instead, he had wallowed in decades old grief over a son he no longer had and didn’t take any stock in the son he created to fix it.

And now Newton was gone too.

He had spent a week begging the screen of his system at home for Newt to return to him-- That he was sorry for making him feel like he wasn’t good enough, and please come back to him, please be safe, _please_ be okay. He couldn’t imagine why he’d be gone for so long beyond something terrible happening. Newton was code after all. He was data that could be at the mercy of viruses and other malicious programs if he wasn’t careful, and Jacob hadn’t had the chance to tell him to be wary of such things.

It had been two months. Jacob had resolved himself to the fact that he’d never speak to Newton again. He lost his chance to be a real father again because he couldn’t see past his own suffering to see that someone else was suffering too.

A month after Newton’s disappearance, his brother had come to collect him from his stagnant, quiet home and Newton’s empty systems to live with him in his flat an hour away. Illia hadn’t taken well to the state he was living in, and had uprooted him for his own sake. He should be grateful, but Jacob didn’t feel like he deserved this care.

He also didn’t deserve this opportunity.

He was currently sat in the back of an admitted nice car, being chauffeured to a meeting with a gentleman who had gotten in contact with him about work. Jacob hadn’t wanted to work, if he was honest. He was ready to sit on his brother’s couch and not move for the remainder of his life, but god help Illia, he caught the email before Jacob could delete it and encouraged him to go. To leave the house. To try and move on. Bless him, even if he was hurting too.

When Jacob had lost his first son, Illia grieved, but he grieved for what Jacob had lost, not what he himself had lost. He had only known of the boy Jacob was supposed to have. And if Illia suffered from his loss, he kept it in for Jacob- another sentiment Jacob did not feel he deserved.

But Illia had known Newton. In the five years Newton had existed in the system, he and Illia got along incredibly well. His loss definitely effected Illia in a significantly more personal way this time. And yet, here he was still trying to pull Jacob up from his bootstraps and set him straight again.

He was in a t-shirt and jeans, the easiest thing to wear, and Illia had thrown a blazer on him for some semblance of professionalism and asked him to consider-- just _consider-_ \- whatever this Gottlieb fellow had to offer. Jacob conceded that he would try.

As the car pulled up to a well-lit pub, the driver (a bald, Asian woman-- rather eccentric for a car service, Jacob thought, but she was polite, and he certainly didn’t mine) peered at him from the rear view mirror. “We’re here,” She said, in English. “Do you need assistance with anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” Jacob answered. “Thank you.”

She nodded and got out of the car opening the door before Jacob could do it himself. As soon as Jacob was out of the vehicle, she shut the door and smiled at him. “Congratulations,” She said, cryptic, before sitting back in the driver’s seat and leaving him there with his thoughts. She must have assumed he already got this job, whatever it was.

Jacob stared at the pub. It loomed over him like an omen, and he knew he had to walk in and get this over with.

He pushed through the door and found that the pub was relatively quiet. It was late in the afternoon, but the crowd here consisted of locals who seemed to only want to come in, drink, and enjoy each other’s company. There was a piano in the back, and some short, young man was playing a soft tune, facing away from the door. Jacob supposed there were worse places to meet a potential employer. He walked to the bar and rounded a blond man in a loud suit to reach the bartender, who greeted him wordlessly. “Ich suche Hermann Gottlieb?” Jacob asked.

“Er ist am dritten Tisch.” The bartender gestured to the back wall where a thin man sat, close to the piano, with a mug of something before him and nothing else. He was the only man in the pub without alcohol; that had to be the guy.

“Danke.” Jacob made his way to the table. If this had been any other time in his life, he might have had the sense to feel nervous. As it stood, he already didn’t want to do this, so he made no effort to appear otherwise. “Dr. Hermann Gottlieb?” He asked on approach.

The man turned his head to look up at him and _beamed._ “Ah! Dr. Geiszler!” He stood with some effort, shuffling a cane around to help himself up. “It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you finally. I’ve followed your work for some time.” He held his hand to him.

Jacob took his hand and gave it an exuberant shake despite his mood. He almost felt he had to match Dr. Gottlieb’s excitement at this point. “English?” He asked before he could stop himself.

He watched Hermann smile on anyway. “Möchten Sie lieber Deutsch sprechen?”

Jacob sighed. “No, no. English is fine.” He turned to the opposite chair from Dr. Gottlieb and took a seat. Introductions were out of the way. The rest of this should be easy.

Or, it would have been if the pianist hadn’t suddenly begun playing a new song. A familiar song. A _painfully_ familiar song that threatened to wrench Jacob’s heart from his chest and throw it into traffic. He pursed his lips and tried to ignore the opening chords of ‘Somebody to Love’ as it filled the air. “Your email said that you may have work for me?”

The doctor nodded and took his seat as well. “I certainly do.” He pulled his mug to his lips and took a sip before setting it aside. “I am working on a start up involving your AI.”

Jacob sighed. “My AI.”

“Yes sir.” The man leaned forward. “They’re incredibly advanced, and I’ve had the pleasure to work with many models; I feel their applications aren’t being fully realised-”

“Can I just-” Jacob held a hand up. This was too much. He couldn’t do this. Why on earth did he think he could do this? “Can I just stop you?”

Dr. Gottlieb tilted his head. “Is everything all right?”

Jacob snorted. “The short answer? No.” He leaned back in his seat and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Look, please understand; I’m not ungrateful for this opportunity. I’m sure your company will be massively successful, and I’m sure you have a lot of great ideas. But I should have told you through email that I am not interested.”

Dr. Gottlieb frowned, but there was no power behind it, like he didn’t believe him, or perhaps falsely believed he could talk him out of the decision. “May I ask why?”

Jacob took a breath. God, he wasn’t ready to explain this to a stranger, but here goes anyway. “I’m old, Dr. Gottlieb. I’m tired. I have spent half my life perfecting my AIs, and I have made nothing but mistakes along the way.”

The frown grew real. “I don’t believe your creations are mistakes, Dr. Geiszler.”

“Not _them,_ ” Jacob hissed, shoulders hunching. “Me.” He took a breath as the song continued playing and driving needles into his chest. “I lost my son in 2050 to circumstances I could not control. Two months ago, I lost a second son to my own ego. Whatever you want to offer me, whatever great things you think I can bring to your business, I promise you I can’t.”

“You haven’t even heard the best part.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t deserve this.” Jacob took another breath, feeling like his chest was going to cave in. He would have to call Illia soon to come get him. “I don’t deserve the fame I have for my work; I didn’t do it for the world, I did it for myself. I did it for all the wrong reasons, and then when I achieved my goal, I… I treated him like dirt. I can’t help you with your AI business, because I can’t be trusted to treat them how they deserve. I can’t be trusted with those lives again.” He took a sudden sharp breath. “And could you _please_ play literally anything else!?” He nearly shrieked at the pianist.

The man at the keys stopped playing.

Jacob took a deep breath and covered his face. Dr. Gottlieb let him breathe quietly, and the bartender turned the radio back on since the piano had stopped. Eventually, the good doctor spoke to break the tension. “Apologies. We were under the impression you enjoyed that song. He insisted.”

Jacob narrowed his eyes and lowered his hands. “…Who-…?”

Dr. Gottlieb turned away from him and looked back at the man seated at the piano. Jacob followed his gaze and saw the man’s shoulders were up and tight. His head was low, his hair a mess-

And two blue lights shone through the white fabric of his shirt. Jacob’s eyes widened. The man was an android. He turned to Hermann, who look back to smile. “I did say I’ve worked with many of your AIs.” And then he said nothing more.

Jacob stood from the table and kept watching the pianist, taking short steps toward him. The man stood from his bench as Jacob drew nearer. When the man turned around, Jacob forgot how to breathe.

He recognised those green eyes, even tucked behind thick glasses. He recognised that nose, and the scruff of facial hair, the freckles, the shape of his mouth, even the nervous tick he seemed to have by rubbing his hands together. This man was an exact replica of Jacob’s old, desperate attempt to see what a child of his my look like after thirty years. This was the face he’d accidentally given Newton.

And that face looked so scared. “I-…” Newton’s voice spilled from the android’s mouth. “…I know it’s not like... perfect.”

Jacob stared. It was all he could do. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t speak. All he could do was take in this vision of a son he thought he had lost.

Newton flinched under the stare and looked down at his arms, covered in tattoos beneath his rolled up sleeves. “I took uh… a few liberties and gave myself tattoos. Thought they were cool.” He ducked his head even further. “But if you don’t… like them, I’m sure we can find the place that makes the skin polymer I’m using, and we can replace it.” He shrugged. “You know, whatever you want. If you’re not happy with anything else, I’m sure we could change that stuff too, I-”

Jacob grabbed Newton’s face and pulled him to look up. Newton’s eyes were bright with tears he seemed to be trying to hold back. Jacob swallowed his own nerves and spoke. “Newton?”

The tears spilled over, and Newton trembled, still looking so afraid. “…H-… Hi dad.”

Before he could even blink, Jacob had rushed forward and yanked the man against him in a tight, desperate hug, pressing his face into Newton’s shoulder as his own tears made their way down his face. He finally made noise in a happy sob and held even tighter. “Oh _Newton…_ My Newt. My boy…!”

He felt Newton’s breath hitch. Slowly, Newton melted into the hug, as if he finally realised he had permission to do so. His arms came up behind Jacob and hugged him back, shaking, as he buried his face in Jacob’s shoulder. “…Sorry I took so long…” Newton managed, voice wavering. “I had to be sure I was perfect.”

Jacob scoffed, still just as relieved, and pulled back to cup Newton’s face again. “My son. You were already perfect.” Jacob managed a smile-- a real one for the first time in months-- and ruffled the hair on Newton’s head, making an even bigger mess of it. “And damn me for ever, _ever_ making you feel like you weren’t enough. My son…” He laughed again, “My _son…_ I never should have been so blind to what I had. You’re enough. Whatever capacity I can have you in my life, it’s _enough._ ”

Newton’s face contorted in exhausted, desperate relief, and he fell back against Jacob, clinging to him as he sobbed. Jacob caught him easily and clung just as hard.

After a long peaceful moment, Jacob finally found his voice again. “The glasses are a nice touch.” He said, the laugh still holding in his voice.

Newton laughed as well, pulling back enough to wipe his eyes. “You like ‘em? They’re actually necessary, kinda.” He pulled the glasses off and cleaned them free of his tears on his shirt. “My eyes got damaged by a taser charge, and everything’s all blurry past like… well, where you are. I coulda just fixed the lenses, but it felt… I… felt more real if I just fixed it the way everybody else does.”

Jacob patted his shoulder as Newton donned his glasses again. “You are real. You have never been anything but. Don’t you ever doubt that again.”

Newton’s lip trembled, and he ducked to rub at his eyes. “God, knock it off, dad, I just stopped crying!”

Jacob laughed and yanked him back into another hug. “Never.”

 

Hermann watched the scene unfold with a smile that never left his face. As Newton and his father began talking more freely, Hermann gave a soft sigh and walked to the bar.

Chau, who’d been seated there, passed him a shot glass full of whisky. “Drink up. You deserve it.”

Hermann smirked and lifted the shot, downing it easily with barely a wince. He set the glass down upside down and circled the bottom of the glass with his finger. “What do I owe you?”

Chau snorted. “That shot was only two bucks.”

“Not the drink,” Hermann insisted. He didn’t elaborate. Chau knew what he meant. He had no reason, or obligation to be there now, or to have helped them search for where Jacob had been when they couldn’t find him at his old home. Once the flight landed, Chau was free to never deal with Newton or Hermann ever again. Yet, here he was.

Chau was silent for a while before flagging the bartender for another shot. “You don’t owe me nothing. Don’t mention it.” The shot was planted in front of him, and he necked it. “Ever.”

Hermann turned finally to grin at the man. “I do believe I hear your heart growing three sizes, Mr. Chau.”

“Yeah, I’d better get that checked out.” Chau sighed and slipped off the stool. “Think the kid’s gonna be okay?”

Hermann turned away from Chau and back to Newton, who was now sitting across from Jacob, gesturing widely about something with a bright smile on his face. He felt his smile crease the corners of his eyes. “He’s going to be just fine.”

Chau nodded and dropped several bills on the bar top. “Take it easy, Dr. Gottlieb.” And with that, Chau left the building. Whether this was forever or not, Hermann couldn’t be sure, but he had the feeling he wouldn’t mind if their paths crossed again. Something had changed fundamentally in the man. Anyone could see that.

As Hermann regarded the happy pair at the table by the piano, his smile grew sad. Newton looked ecstatic, as he should. He was clearly talking with Jacob about something that excited him. That light was so alive in those eyes.

And it was alive without Hermann. Newton didn’t need him anymore.

Hermann turned his eyes away before they got stuck there and left money on the counter as well, turning away and walking out the door.

It was just as well that Newton moved on. Hermann was absolutely certain Newton would be able to thrive on his own, especially with the encouragement of his father back in his life. If anything, there was a chance that Hermann’s presence would only be a reminder of the rough couple of months it took to get him here.

Hermann didn’t want to be a reminder of bad things.

The good news was that he was significantly closer to family now. He could take an overnight train to London and catch up with his sister, whom he really should call and mention he was no longer in the states. He also needed to update Tendo as soon as possible-- let him know that Newton was safe with his family now. It hurt to walk away, but everything was going to be all right.

“Hermann!”

Newton’s voice froze Hermann’s gait. He didn’t realise he hadn’t gotten far from the pub until he turned and saw he’d not even gotten ten feet from the edge of the building. Newton looked exhilarated.

“Where you goin’? I wanted to introduce you properly-” Newton’s bright eyes landed on Hermann’s face, and that beautiful smile slowly wilted away. Oh no. _No._ “You’re… you’re leaving?”

Hermann took a short breath. “I-… It’s-…” He had to explain, and he had to explain this well enough that Newton understood. “…It’s better if I go, I think.”

Newton’s entire demeanor sank. “…Oh.” The sad resolve in Newton’s eyes dug into Hermann’s heart like a knife. “…I guess I… wasn’t what you were expecting at all, was I…?”

Hermann screwed his eyes shut. “Please do not do that, it has nothing to do with you.”

“Then why are you leaving me?” Not just leaving. Leaving Newton. That was his question.

“You shouldn’t be stuck with me, Newton.” Hermann turned to him fully, but he dropped his gaze and couldn’t look him in the eye. “You’re a free man now, you’ve barely had the chance to go out and meet people, make friends, find-…” He huffed. “Find love.”

Newton scoffed. “ _Stuck_ with you?”

Hermann flinched. “You have so many options open to you now. I see no reason for you to settle with someone like me when you’ve got the world at your fingertips. You can do anything you set your mind to, and I know you will. You can-…” Why did this hurt to say? “You can have anybody you’d like.”

Newton frowned. Then he marched forward and grabbed Hermann by the arms before Hermann could back away. “Stop it,” He warned, glaring at him.

Hermann barely looked up. “S-…Stop what?”

“Belittling yourself.”

“I’m not-”

“Hermann, you just stood there talking about how I should want to be with somebody else for thirty seconds.” Newton looked incredulous, but there was something lighter behind the exasperation. He ran his hands down Hermann’s arms and smiled. “As if I could possibly do that.”

Hermann felt his warm fingers through the sleeves of his coat, and he shivered. “Newt-… I’m nothing special, I-… You deserve someone who can keep up with you, you shouldn’t settle-”

“I am not settling!” Newton’s smile never left his face. “What the hell do you mean ‘keep up’ with me? Who can do that better than you? I wanna have all those debates with you that you promised me.”

Hermann ducked his gaze away from Newton’s again. “I don’t mean mentally, I mean… I mean physically.” He closed his eyes. “You have all this energy and beauty you can do whatever you want with, and I will… I will always fall behind.”

Newton’s smile finally left. “…Are you talking about your leg?”

Hermann flinched again. “It’s more than just that, but-…”

“I can’t believe we’re still doing this.” Newton’s hands found Hermann’s face and forced him to look up again, refusing to let him hide. “Your leg doesn’t bother me. It never has. You are the sweetest man I’ve ever met, and you are _fucking gorgeous._ ”

Hermann’s cheeks went red, and his eyes grew hot. “Newton-”

“Don’t ‘Newton’ me, I’m not done with you yet.” He dropped one hand to Hermann’s scarred, clothed hip and tugged him forward by his belt loop. “I love your hips, Hermann. I can rest my hands right on the bones and just hold you close to me.” He slid his other hand down Hermann’s arm and laced their fingers together, knocking his cane out of his grip and onto the ground. “I love how long your fingers are, and how cold they are when I get to them, because it means I get to warm you up.”

Hermann brought his other hand up and covered his mouth as emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

Newton didn’t let it stay there. He moved on from Hermann’s hip and pulled Hermann’s hand away from his face. “I don’t think so, dude.” He guided that hand to the back of his head and leaned into it. “Home base, Hermann. I wanna see that smile.”

Hermann laughed despite himself and despite the tears that were officially painting hot trails down his face that grew chilled in the cold air.

Newton smiled brighter and let his hand coast back to Hermann’s hips. “There it is. I love that smile. I love that little crinkle in your eyes when you really mean it, and god I love those lips. I love your dark eyes, I love your cheekbones, I even love that stupid haircut you refuse to change.”

Hermann couldn’t _stop_ smiling. “Honestly-”

“ _Honestly,_ ” Newton mocked. “Honestly, I don’t see how I could possibly find anyone more beautiful than you. Inside, and out. I love your mind. I love your body.” He leaned up to whisper into his ear. “I love, _love_ seeing you naked.”

Hermann could feel his face burning both from embarrassment and how hard he was smiling. “W-We’re in _public-_ ”

“Doesn’t make it any less true. I love it. Sure I’ve got all these options now, and I’m free to pick whoever I want, but you’re an option. I pick you.” Newton looked sheepish. “…I love _you,_ Hermann.”

Hermann bit his lip and tried to look away again. “You cannot possibly know that in such a short time-”

Newton directed his face back with a determined hand. “Are you kidding? After everything you’ve done for me, what I know you’re willing to do- You became a fugitive for me, you punched a dude with _armed guards_ for me, you threw yourself into a room full of even _more_ armed guards for me before that, you broke into your own place of employment and stole for me so I could keep living. At any one of those times, you could have given up because let’s face it, I am way more trouble than I’m worth.” He took an unnecessary breath and beamed again. “But you didn’t. You did all of that for me, and you only knew me for like five days.” He ran his thumb just under the sharp cut of Hermann’s cheekbone. “I’m pretty sure people have fallen in love for less.”

The hand behind Newton’s head was trembling. Hermann brought his other there to join it and leaned his forehead against Newton’s, feeling his emotions weighing on him like an ocean, and they were there at the bottom of it. He couldn’t breathe, but Newton was giving him air, holding him up, making that pressure go away. If Hermann let go, he would drown. Hermann closed his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. He was afraid to speak.

Newton’s hands shifted and dipped under Hermann’s coat, drawing his arms around his waist and pulling them against each other. “I’ve also kinda already told dad that you’re my somebody, so… Ya know. Don’t wanna be a liar.”

Hermann snorted, and he opened his eyes to gaze into those endless, green pools. “Then I suppose we ought to go assure your father you’re not a liar.”

Newton beamed like a star. He tilted his head and claimed Hermann’s lips with his own, still tasting the tea left over on his lips from his order in the pub. He pulled away after a few seconds and leaned down, lifting Hermann’s cane and placing it carefully in his hand. “Dad called my uncle Illia and ordered a lager, which usually means he’s buckling down for a long night of uh… tomfoolery, I guess.”

“Tomfoolery, hm?” Hermann chuckled as Newton took his hand to lead him back toward the pub.

“Yeah. Got that word from _your_ dictionary. You like it?” Newton smirked.

Hermann arched an amused eyebrow at him. “Oh, straight from ‘I love you’ to teasing me for my vocabulary. Yes, what a stellar way to start a relationship.”

Newton bounced on the balls of his feet as he laughed. “You say that like I’m not gonna let you get digs on me once in a while. Give it a shot, I’m sure you’ve got something.”

“Oh, I do indeed. A word from your vocabulary actually.”

“Oh yeah?”

Hermann hummed and bumped his shoulder into Newton’s. “Gremlin.”

Newton gasped in mock offense. “You better take that back, or you’re sleeping on the couch.”

Hermann laughed. A few feet before the door, Hermann paused his gait and held tight to Newton’s hand, stopping him. Newton paused and turned back to him, eyes questioning and big. Hermann tasted his words before saying them, and god did they feel right. “I love you too, Newton,” He said, quietly and nervously, as if he was afraid it would all be taken from him is he spoke too loudly. “…In case you needed to hear it.”

Newton’s breath left him in something that sounded like a hushed sob. He took that short step and threw his arms around Hermann’s neck. “I didn’t. But holy _fuck_ is it nice to hear.”

Hermann pressed his smile into Newton’s shoulder. “Then you needed to hear it.”

Newt tugged Hermann back inside by his hand, drawing him toward a round table where Jacob was sat with his lager as Newton said. The man was setting down his cellphone when he took note of their arrival. He stood up. “I was beginning to wonder where you went.” He smiled at Hermann, showing him exactly where Newton got that bright grin. “Illia will be here in about ten minutes. I think he dropped the phone when I told him.”

Newton laughed, light and loud. “I hope you eased him into it at least. Lager’s great. Hermann’s nice. By the way, Newt’s back.”

Jacob shrugged. “I led with it. I think he handled it well.” He turned back to Hermann and that smile grew soft. “Wonderful to meet you officially, Dr. Gottlieb.” He held out his hand again.

Hermann leaned his cane by the wall and took the offered hand with both of his. “Please, you may call me Hermann.”

Jacob chuckled and nodded, sitting back down. “It’s just as well, honorifics don’t last long in this family. You’d have been Hermann eventually.” He grinned down into his lager and sighed as Hermann took his seat across from him. Newton sat between them, wanting to be close to them both, and Jacob seemed to marvel how happy Newton was. His smile trembled as he reached over and fixed a stray lock of Newton’s hair. “…Thank you.” He said after a moment of silence. “Thank you for bringing my boy back to me.”

Hermann felt his chest swell with pride. He ducked his head. “…Thank _you_ for bringing Newton into this world.” He lifted his gaze to Newton and took his hand under the table. “I don’t know that I would know myself without him.”

Newton squeezed Hermann’s hand in return, and his smile- that bright, endless smile- bathed Hermann in its light.

Suddenly things fell into place in Hermann’s head, and he couldn’t for the life of him understand why he thought he could just walk away from Newton. This man had snuck into his life and made it better from the inside out. Hermann felt excited and looked forward to things for the first time in his life. Newton had flipped everything upside-down, and Hermann didn’t know how any of it had ever been appealing the right way up. He didn’t want to traverse this new, invigorating world without Newton holding tight to his hand.

And Hermann would never, ever let it go again.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scene.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the support I have gotten for this. Extra special thanks to WaldosAkimbo and Sarah1281 for throwing Kofis at me during the process of writing all of this and keeping my ass fed.
> 
> I love all of you and all of your comments so fucking much, you have no idea.
> 
> Translations for this chapter (via google translate, sorry ahaha):
> 
> "Ich suche Hermann Gottlieb?" - "I'm looking for Hermann Gottlieb?"
> 
> "Er ist am dritten Tisch." - "He's at the third table."
> 
> "Danke." - "Thank you."
> 
> "Möchten Sie lieber Deutsch sprechen?" - "Would you rather speak German?"


End file.
